TITLE 40
TRADE AND COMMERCE
CHAPTER 1
TRADEMARKS AND SERVICE MARKS
40-1-101.
Definitions.
(a) The term "trademark" as used in this act means any
word, name, symbol, or device or any combination thereof adopted
and used by a person to identify and distinguish the goods of
such person, including a unique product, from those manufactured
or sold by others, and to indicate the source of the goods, even
if that source is unknown.
(b) The term "service mark" as used in this act means any
word, name, symbol or device or any combination thereof used by
a person, to identify and distinguish the services of one (1)
person, including a unique service, from the services of others
and to indicate the source of the services, even if that source
is unknown. Titles, character names used by a person and other
distinctive features of radio or television programs may be
registered as service marks notwithstanding that they, or the
programs, may advertise the goods of the sponsor.
(c) The term "mark" as used in this act includes any
trademark or service mark entitled to registration under this
act whether registered or not.
(d) The term "person" and any other word or term used to
designate the applicant or other party entitled to a benefit or
privilege or rendered liable under the provisions of this act
includes a juristic person as well as a natural person. The
term "juristic person" includes a firm, partnership,
corporation, association, union or other organization or
business entity capable of suing and being sued in a court of
law.
(e) The term "applicant" as used in this act embraces the
person filing an application for registration of a mark under
this act, and the legal representatives, successors or assigns
of such person.
(f) The term "registrant" as used in this act embraces the
person to whom the registration of a mark under this act is
issued and the legal representatives, successors or assigns of
such person.
(g) The term "use" in this act means the bona fide use of
a mark in the ordinary course of trade and not made merely to
reserve a right in a mark. For the purposes of this act, a mark
shall be deemed to be in use in this state:
(i) On goods when it is placed in any manner on the
goods or other containers on the displays associated therewith
or on the tags or labels affixed thereto, or if the nature of
the goods makes such placement impracticable, then on documents
associated with the goods or their sale, and the goods are sold
or transported in commerce in this state; and
(ii) On services when it is used or displayed in the
sale or advertising of services and the services are rendered in
this state.
(h) A mark shall be deemed to be "abandoned" under this
act when either of the following occurs:
(i) When its use has been discontinued with the
intent not to resume such use. Intent not to resume may be
inferred from circumstances. Nonuse for two (2) consecutive
years shall constitute prima facie evidence of abandonment;
(ii) When any course of conduct of the owner,
including acts of omission as well as commission, causes the
mark to lose its significance as a mark.
(j) The term "dilution" as used in this act means the
lessening of the capacity of a registrant's mark to identify and
distinguish goods or services, regardless of the presence or
absence of:
(i)
(ii)
Competition between the parties; or
Likelihood of confusion, mistake or deception.
(k) The term "secretary" as used in this act means the
secretary of state or the designee of the secretary charged with
the administration of this act.
(m)
"This act" means W.S. 40-1-101 through 40-1-116.
40-1-102.
Marks which cannot be registered.
(a) A mark by which the goods or services of any applicant
for registration may be distinguished from the goods or services
of others shall not be registered if it:
(i) Consists of or comprises immoral, deceptive or
scandalous matter; or
(ii) Consists of or comprises matter which may
disparage or falsely suggest a connection with persons, living
or dead, institutions, beliefs, or national symbols, or bring
them into contempt, or disrepute; or
(iii) Consists of or comprises the flag or coat of
arms or other insignia of the United States, or of any state or
municipality, or of any foreign nation, or any simulation
thereof; or
(iv) Consists of or comprises the name, signature or
portrait identifying a particular living individual, except by
the individual's written consent; or
(v) Consists of a mark which, (A) when used on or in
connection with the goods or services of the applicant, is
merely descriptive or deceptively misdescriptive of them, or (B)
when used on or in connection with the goods or services of the
applicant is primarily geographically descriptive or deceptively
misdescriptive of them, or (C) is primarily merely a surname;
provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph shall prevent
the registration of a mark used in this state by the applicant
which has become distinctive of the applicant's goods or
services. The secretary may accept as evidence that the mark has
become distinctive, as used on or in connection with the
applicant's goods or services, proof of continuous use thereof
as a mark by the applicant in this state or elsewhere for the
five (5) years before the date on which the claim of
distinctiveness is made; or
(vi) Consists of or comprises a mark which is the
same as, or deceptively similar to, a mark registered in this
state, a trade name or the name of a juristic person, or a mark
or trade name previously used in this state by another and not
abandoned, as to be likely, when applied to the goods or
services of the applicant, to cause confusion or mistake or to
deceive.
40-1-103.
Application for registration; filing fee.
(a) Subject to the limitations set forth in this act, any
person who uses a mark in this state may file in the office of
the secretary, in a manner complying with the requirements of
the secretary, an application for registration of that mark
setting forth, but not limited to, the following information:
(i) The name and business address of the person
applying for such registration; and, if a corporation, the state
of incorporation, or if a partnership, the state in which the
partnership is organized and the names of the general partners,
as specified by the secretary, or similar information for other
juristic persons, as specified by the secretary;
(ii) The goods or services on or in connection with
which the mark is used and the mode or manner in which the mark
is used on or in connection with such goods or services and the
class in which such goods or services fall;
(iii) The date when the mark was first used anywhere
and the date when it was first used in this state by the
applicant or a predecessor in interest;
(iv) A statement that the applicant is the owner of
the mark, that the mark is in use and that to the knowledge of
the person verifying the application, no other person has
registered, either federally or in this state, or has the right
to use such mark either in the identical form thereof or in such
near resemblance as to be likely, when applied to the goods or
services of such other person, to cause confusion or to cause
mistake or to deceive; and
(v) If required by the secretary, a statement as to
whether an application to register the mark, or portions or a
composite, has been filed by the applicant or a predecessor in
interest in the United States patent and trademark office; and,
if so, the applicant shall provide full particulars including
the filing date and serial number of each application, the
status and, if any application was finally refused registration
or has otherwise not resulted in a registration, the reasons
therefor.
(b) The application shall be signed and verified by oath,
affirmation or declaration subject to perjury laws by the
applicant or by a member of the firm or an officer of the
corporation or association applying.
(c) The application shall be accompanied by a specimen or
facsimile of such mark in triplicate. The secretary may also
require that a drawing of the mark, complying with requirements
as the secretary may specify, accompany the application.
(d) The application for registration shall be accompanied
by a filing fee, set in accordance with W.S. 40-1-116, but not
to exceed three hundred dollars ($300.00) and payable to the
secretary.
40-1-104.
application.
Examination of application; amendment of
(a) Upon the filing of an application for registration and
payment of the application fee, the secretary may cause the
application to be examined for conformity with this act.
(b) The applicant shall provide any additional pertinent
information requested by the secretary, including a description
of a design mark and may make or authorize the secretary to make
such amendments to the application as may be reasonably
requested by the secretary or deemed by the applicant to be
advisable to respond to any rejection or objection.
(c) The secretary may require the applicant to disclaim an
unregisterable component of a mark otherwise registerable and an
applicant may voluntarily disclaim a component of a mark sought
to be registered. No disclaimer shall prejudice or affect the
applicant's or registrant's rights then existing or thereafter
arising in the disclaimed matter, or the applicant's or
registrant's rights of registration on another application if
the disclaimed matter be or shall have become distinctive of the
applicant's or registrant's goods or services.
(d) Amendments may be made by the secretary upon the
application submitted by the applicant upon the applicant's
agreement or a fresh application may be required to be
submitted.
(e) If the applicant is found not to be entitled to
registration, the secretary shall advise the applicant of the
reasons. The applicant shall have a reasonable period of time
specified by the secretary in which to reply or to amend the
application, in which event the application shall then be
reexamined. This procedure may be repeated until (A) the
secretary finally refuses registration of the mark or (B) the
applicant fails to reply or amend within the specified period,
whereupon the application shall be deemed to have been
abandoned.
40-1-105.
Term of registration; renewals.
(a) Registration of a mark is effective for a term of five
(5) years from the date of registration and, upon application
filed within six (6) months prior to the expiration of such
term, in a manner complying with the requirements of the
secretary, the registration may be renewed for a like term from
the end of the expiring term. A renewal fee set in accordance
with W.S. 40-1-116, but not to exceed one hundred fifty dollars
($150.00) and payable to the secretary, shall accompany the
application for renewal of the registration.
(b) Renewal periods.-A mark registration may be renewed
for successive periods of five (5) years in like manner. All
applications for renewal under this act, whether of
registrations made under this act or of registrations effected
under any prior act, shall include a verified statement that the
mark has been and is still in use and include a specimen showing
actual use of the mark on or in connection with the goods or
services.
(c)
Repealed By Laws 1997, ch. 112, § 3.
(d) Existing registration.-Any registration in force on
the date on which this act shall become effective shall continue
in full force and effect for the unexpired term and may be
renewed by filing an application for renewal with the secretary,
complying with the requirements of the secretary, and paying the
aforementioned renewal fee within six (6) months prior to the
expiration of the registration.
(e)
Repealed By Laws 1997, ch. 112, § 3.
40-1-106.
name.
Assignment of marks and registration; change of
(a) Any mark and its registration under this act shall be
assignable with the goodwill of the business in which the mark
is used, or with that part of the goodwill of the business
connected with the use of and symbolized by the mark. Assignment
shall be by instruments in writing duly executed and may be
recorded with the secretary upon the payment of a fee set in
accordance with W.S. 40-1-116, but not to exceed seventy-five
dollars ($75.00) and payable to the secretary. Upon recording of
the assignment, the secretary shall issue in the name of the
assignee a new certificate for the remainder of the term of the
registration or of the last renewal thereof. An assignment of
any registration under this act shall be void as against any
subsequent purchaser for valuable consideration without notice,
unless it is recorded with the secretary within three (3) months
after the date thereof or prior to such subsequent purchase.
(b) Any registrant or applicant effecting a change of the
name of the person to whom the mark was issued or for whom an
application was filed may record a certificate of change of name
of the registrant or applicant with the secretary upon the
payment of the recording fee. The secretary may issue in the
name of the assignee a certificate of registration of an
assigned application. The secretary may issue in the name of
the assignee, a new certificate or registration for the
remainder of the term of the registration or last renewal
thereof.
(c) A photocopy or photograph of any instrument referred
to in subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall be accepted
for recording if it is certified by the applicant, or their
successors, to be a true and correct copy of the original.
40-1-107.
Public record of marks.
The secretary shall keep for public examination a record of all
marks registered or renewed under this act.
40-1-108.
Cancellation of registration.
(a) The secretary shall cancel from the register in whole
or in part:
(i)
Repealed By Laws 1997, ch. 112, § 3.
(ii) Any registration concerning which the secretary
shall receive a voluntary request for cancellation thereof from
the registrant or the assignee of record and shall receive
payment of a fee set in accordance with W.S. 40-1-116, but not
to exceed thirty dollars ($30.00);
(iii) All registrations granted under this act and
not renewed in accordance with the provisions hereof;
(iv) Any registration concerning which a court of
competent jurisdiction shall find:
(A)
That the registered mark has been abandoned;
(B)
That the registrant is not the owner of the
(C)
That the registration was granted
(D)
That the registration was obtained
mark;
improperly;
fraudulently;
(E) That the registered mark is so similar, as
to be likely to cause confusion or mistake or to deceive, to a
mark registered by another person in the United States patent
and trademark office, prior to the date of the filing of the
application for registration by the registrant hereunder, and
not abandoned; provided, however, that should the registrant
prove that the registrant is the owner of a concurrent
registration of his mark in the United States patent and
trademark office covering an area including this state, the
registration hereunder shall not be cancelled;
(F) That the mark is or has become the generic
name for the goods or services, or a portion thereof, for which
it has been registered.
(v) When a court of competent jurisdiction shall
order cancellation of a registration on any ground.
40-1-109.
Classification of marks.
(a)
Repealed By Laws 1997, ch. 112, § 3.
(b)
Repealed By Laws 1997, ch. 112, § 3.
(c) The secretary shall by regulation establish a
classification of goods and services for marks for the
convenience of administration of this act, but not to limit or
extend the applicant's or registrant's rights.
40-1-110. False or fraudulent representations or
declarations; liability for damages sustained.
Any person who shall for himself, or on behalf of any other
person, procure the filing or registration of any mark in the
office of the secretary under the provisions of this act, by
knowingly making any false or fraudulent representation or
declaration, orally or in writing, or by any other fraudulent
means, shall be liable to pay all damages sustained in
consequence of such filing or registration, to be recovered by
or on behalf of the party injured thereby in any court of
competent jurisdiction.
40-1-111.
Civil liability.
Subject to the provisions of W.S. 40-1-113 any person who shall
(a) use, without the consent of the registrant, any
reproduction, counterfeit, copy, or colorable imitation of a
mark registered under this act in connection with the sale,
distribution, offering for sale, or advertising of any goods or
services on or in connection with which such use is likely to
cause confusion or mistake or to deceive as to the source of
origin of such goods or services, or (b) reproduce, counterfeit,
copy or colorably imitate any such mark and apply such
reproduction, counterfeit, copy or colorable imitation to
labels, signs, prints, packages, wrappers, receptacles, or
advertisements intended to be used upon or in conjunction with
the sale or other distribution in this state of such goods or
services, shall be liable to a civil action by the owner of such
registered mark for any or all of the remedies provided in W.S.
40-1-112, except that under subsection (b) hereof the registrant
shall not be entitled to recover profits or damages unless the
acts have been committed with knowledge that such mark is
intended to be used to cause confusion or mistake or to deceive.
40-1-112.
Remedies.
(a) Any owner of a mark registered under this act may
proceed by suit to enjoin the manufacture, use, display or sale
of any counterfeits or imitations thereof and any court of
competent jurisdiction may grant injunctions to restrain such
manufacture, use, display, or sale as may be by the said court
deemed just and reasonable, and may require the defendants to
pay to such owner all profits derived from and/or all damages
suffered by reason of such wrongful manufacture, use, display or
sale; and such court may also order that any such counterfeits
or imitations in the possession or under the control of any
defendant in such case, be delivered to an officer of the court,
or to the complainant, to be destroyed. The court, in its
discretion, may enter judgment for an amount not to exceed three
(3) times such profits and damages and reasonable attorneys'
fees of the prevailing party in such cases where the court finds
the other party committed such wrongful acts with knowledge or
in bad faith or otherwise as according to the circumstances of
the case.
(b) The enumeration of any right or remedy herein shall
not affect a registrant's right to prosecute under any penal law
of this state.
40-1-113.
Marks acquired at common law.
Nothing in this act shall adversely affect the rights or the
enforcement of rights in marks acquired in good faith at any
time at common law.
40-1-114.
Inapplicable to livestock brands, marks or tags.
This act shall not be construed to apply to brands, marks or
tags on livestock.
40-1-115.
Injury to business reputation; dilution.
(a) The owner of a mark which is famous in this state
shall be entitled, subject to the principles of equity, to an
injunction against another's use of a mark, commencing after the
owner's mark becomes famous, which causes dilution of the
distinctive quality of the owner's mark, and to obtain such
other relief as is provided in this section. In determining
whether a mark is famous, a court may consider factors such as,
but not limited to:
(i) The degree of inherent or acquired
distinctiveness of the mark in this state;
(ii) The duration and extent of use of the mark in
connection with the goods and services;
(iii) The duration and extent of advertising and
publicity of the mark in this state;
(iv) The geographical extent of the trading area in
which the mark is used;
(v) The channels of trade for the goods or services
with which the owner's mark is used;
(vi) The degree of recognition of the owner's mark in
its and in the other's trading areas and channels of trade in
this state; and
(vii) The nature and extent of use of the same or
similar mark by third parties.
(b) The owner shall be entitled only to injunctive relief
in this state in an action brought under this section, unless
the subsequent user willfully intended to trade on the owner's
reputation or to cause dilution of the owner's mark. If such
willful intent is proven, the owner shall also be entitled to
the remedies set forth in this act, subject to the discretion of
the court and the principles of equity.
40-1-116.
fees.
Powers of secretary of state; filing and other
(a) The secretary has the power reasonably necessary to
perform the duties required of him by this act including the
promulgation of rules and regulations necessary to carry out the
purposes of this act.
(b) The secretary shall set and
and copying fees to recover the costs
services and administering this act.
costs of providing these services and
collect filing, service
of providing those
Fees shall not exceed the
administering this act.
CHAPTER 2
TRADE NAMES REGISTRATION
40-2-101.
Definitions.
(a) As used in this act unless the context otherwise
requires:
(i) "Applicant" means a person filing an application
for registration or reservation of a trade name under this act,
his legal representatives, successors or assigns;
(ii) "Person" means an individual, corporation,
government or governmental subdivision or agency, business
trust, estate, trust, partnership, unincorporated association,
two (2) or more of the foregoing having a joint or common
interest, or any other legal or commercial entity;
(iii) "Registrant" means a person to whom
registration of a trade name under this act is issued, his legal
representatives, successors or assigns;
(iv) "Trade name" means a word, name, or any
combination of the foregoing in any form or arrangement used by
a person to identify his business, vocation, or occupation and
distinguish it from the business, vocation or occupation of
others;
(v)
40-2-102.
(a)
"This act" means W.S. 40-2-101 through 40-2-109.
Registrability.
A trade name shall not be registered if it:
(i) Is the same as, or deceptively similar to, a
trademark or service mark registered in this state, or is not
distinguishable from the names of other business entities as
required by W.S. 17-16-401;
(ii) Contains any word or phrase which indicates that
it is engaged in the business of banking or insurance, except as
provided in subsections (b) through (d) of this section.
(b) National banking associations previously approved by
the comptroller of the currency, whose principal place of
business is located within the state of Wyoming and who are
actively engaged in the business of banking on the effective
date of this act may be registered with the Wyoming secretary of
state and entitled to all of the protection of other registered
trade names.
(c) Any person desiring to register a bank trade name for
any proposed national banking association shall comply with the
provisions of this act. The secretary of state shall
conditionally approve the proposed trade name if not the same as
or deceptively similar to any trade name registered under this
act, a trademark or service mark registered in this state or the
name of a corporation incorporated or authorized to do business
in this state, or which is exclusively reserved under W.S.
17-16-402. Conditional approval shall expire in twelve (12)
months unless extended for good cause for an additional period
of six (6) months. Conditional approval shall not become final
and the name registered until the applicant has received
approval to engage in the business of banking by the comptroller
of the currency, and actually engages in the business of banking
in this state.
(d) Any person desiring to conditionally register a bank
trade name for any proposed Wyoming state chartered bank shall
comply with the provisions of this act. The secretary of state
shall conditionally approve the proposed trade name if it is not
the same as or deceptively similar to any trademark or service
mark registered in this state, and is distinguishable upon the
records of the secretary of state from other business names as
required by W.S. 17-16-401. Conditional approval shall expire
in twelve (12) months but may be extended for good cause for an
additional six (6) months. The conditional approval shall
terminate upon approval of the proposed charter by the Wyoming
state banking commissioner and the Wyoming state banking board
and the filing of the bank's articles of incorporation with the
secretary of state since at that time the name of the state
chartered bank will be protected by W.S. 17-16-401(b).
40-2-103.
Reservation.
(a) Any person intending to adopt a trade name for use and
intending to apply for registration of a trade name may reserve
the trade name in the following manner. Reservation shall be
made by filing an application with the secretary of state to
reserve a specified trade name, executed by the applicant. If
the secretary of state finds that the name is available for use,
and upon payment of thirty dollars ($30.00), he shall reserve
the name for the exclusive use of the applicant for a period of
one hundred twenty (120) days. The reservation is not renewable.
(b) The right to the exclusive use of a specified trade
name so reserved may be transferred to any other person by
filing a notice of the transfer in the office of the secretary
of state, executed by the applicant for whom the name was
reserved and specifying the name and address of the transferee.
40-2-104.
Application for registration.
(a) Subject to the limitations set forth in this act and
upon payment of one hundred dollars ($100.00), any person who
adopts a trade name for use in this state may file an
application for registration of the trade name in duplicate in
the office of the secretary of state on forms furnished by the
secretary of state setting forth, but not limited to, the
following information:
(i) The name and business address of the applicant
for registration, and if a corporation, the state of
incorporation;
(ii)
The trade name sought to be registered;
(iii) The general nature of the business in fact
conducted by the applicant;
(iv) The signature of the applicant acknowledged
before a notarial officer.
(b) Upon compliance by the applicant with the requirements
of this act, the secretary of state shall return a duplicate
copy of the application for registration to the applicant
stamped with the date of filing.
40-2-105.
Duration and renewal.
(a) Registration of a trade name under this act is
effective for ten (10) years. Within six (6) months prior to the
expiration of a term, registration may be renewed for additional
ten (10) year periods. A renewal fee of fifty dollars ($50.00)
shall accompany an application for renewal of registration. The
application for renewal shall include a statement that the trade
name is still in use in this state. Notification of expiration
and the forms for application for renewal shall be furnished to
the registrant by the secretary of state.
(b) The secretary of state shall notify registrants of
trade names of the necessity of renewal within the year next
preceding the expiration of the ten (10) years from the date of
registration or renewal by writing to the last known address of
the registrants.
40-2-106.
Assignment.
Any trade name registered under this act is assignable with the
goodwill of the business in which the trade name is used.
Assignment shall be by an instrument in writing duly executed
and shall be recorded with the secretary of state upon payment
of twenty-five dollars ($25.00). Upon recording the assignment,
the secretary of state shall issue a certificate in the name of
the assignee for the remainder of the term of the registration.
40-2-107.
Cancellation.
(a) The secretary of state shall cancel from the
registration record:
(i) Any registration upon request for cancellation
from the registrant or the assignee of record and upon payment
of a fee of ten dollars ($10.00) to the secretary of state to be
credited to the general fund;
(ii) Any registration granted under this act and not
renewed in accordance with its provisions;
(iii) Any registration if a court of competent
jurisdiction finds:
(A)
That the registered trade name has been
(B)
That the registrant is not the owner of the
(C)
That the registration was granted
(D)
That the registration was obtained
abandoned;
trade name;
improperly; or
fraudulently.
40-2-108.
Fraudulent registration.
Any person who procures the registration of any trade name in
the office of the secretary of state under the provisions of
this act, by knowingly making any false or fraudulent
representation or declaration, verbally or in writing, or by any
other fraudulent means, is liable for the payment of all damages
sustained in consequence of the filing or registration and the
costs of the action together with reasonable attorneys' fees as
determined by the court, to be recovered in any court of
competent jurisdiction by any party injured.
40-2-109.
Common-law rights.
This act shall not adversely affect rights in trade names, or
the enforcement of rights in trade names, acquired at any time
in good faith at common law.
CHAPTER 3
MULTILEVEL AND PYRAMID DISTRIBUTORSHIPS
40-3-101.
Short title.
This act may be cited as the "Wyoming Multilevel and Pyramid
Distributorship Act."
40-3-102.
(a)
Definitions.
As used in this act:
(i) "Multilevel distribution companies" means any
person, firm, corporation or other business entity which sells,
distributes or supplies for a valuable consideration, goods or
services through independent agents, contractors or
distributors, at different levels wherein such participants may
recruit other participants, and wherein commissions,
cross-commissions, bonuses, refunds, discounts, dividends or
other considerations in the program are, or may be, paid as a
result of the sale of such goods or services or the recruitment,
actions or performances of additional participants;
(ii) "Multilevel distribution marketing plan" means
any agreement for a definite or indefinite period, either
expressed or implied, in which a person agrees, for a valuable
consideration, to distribute goods or services of a multilevel
distribution company to members of the public or to persons who
occupy different levels in the multilevel distribution company's
distribution system;
(iii) "Distributor" means any independent contracted
person, agent, employer or participant who has agreed to
perform, at one (1) or more levels in a multilevel distribution
marketing plan, the functions of distributing the goods or
services of the multilevel distribution company or the
recruitment of subordinate distributors or both functions;
(iv) "Resalable condition" means products that will
pass without objection in the trade, or are still fit for the
ordinary purposes for which the products are used;
(v) "Referral sale" means any inducement offered to a
person, for the purpose of selling a product or service, which
is the opportunity to receive compensation without exercising a
bona fide and commensurate responsibility for the sale of the
product or service to the ultimate customer; or any offer to a
person of an opportunity to receive compensation related to the
recruitment of third persons who will be entitled to
substantially similar recruiting opportunities when the offer is
used as an inducement for the payment of an entrance fee, given
toward a purchase or other consideration, except for the actual
cost of necessary sales materials by the persons to whom the
offer is made;
(vi) "Endless chain" means any scheme or plan for the
disposal or distribution of property or services whereby a
participant pays a valuable consideration for the chance to
receive compensation for introducing one (1) or more additional
persons into participation in the scheme or plan or for the
chance to receive compensation when the person introduced by the
participant introduces a new participant;
(vii) "Documentary material" means the original or a
copy of any book, record, report, memorandum, paper,
communication, tabulation, map, chart, photograph, mechanical
transcription, other tangible document or recording,
reproductions of information stored magnetically, file layout,
code conversion tables, computer programs to convert file to
readable printout, wherever situate.
40-3-103.
Endless chains and referral sales prohibited.
No person may contrive, prepare, set up, propose or operate an
endless chain or referral sale.
40-3-104.
Prohibitions and requirements.
Every multilevel distribution company shall provide in its
contract of participation that the contract may be cancelled for
any reason at any time by a participant upon notification in
writing to the company of his election to cancel. If the
participant has purchased products while the contract of
participation was in effect, all unencumbered products in a
resalable condition then in the possession of the participant
shall be repurchased by the multilevel distribution company. The
repurchase shall be at a price of not less than ninety percent
(90%) of the original net cost to the participant returning such
goods, taking into account any sales made by or through such
participant prior to notification to the company of the election
to cancel.
40-3-105.
Restrictions on marketing programs.
(a) No multilevel distribution company, nor any
participant, shall require participants in its marketing program
to purchase products or services or pay any other consideration
in order to participate in the marketing program unless the
multilevel distribution company agrees in writing:
(i) To repurchase all or part of any products which
are unencumbered and in a resalable condition at a price of not
less than ninety percent (90%) of the original net cost to the
participant, taking into account any sales made by or through
such participant prior to notification to the company of
election to cancel;
(ii) To repay not less than ninety percent (90%) of
the original net cost of any services purchased by the
participants; or
(iii) To refund not less than ninety percent (90%) of
any other consideration paid by the participant in order to
participate in the marketing program.
40-3-106.
Additional restrictions in marketing programs.
(a) No multilevel distribution company or participant in
its marketing program shall:
(i) Operate or, directly or indirectly, participate
in the operation of any multilevel marketing program wherein the
financial gains to the participants are primarily dependent upon
the continued, successive recruitment of other participants and
where sales to nonparticipants are not required as a condition
precedent to realization of the financial gains;
(ii) Offer to pay, pay or authorize the payment of
any finder's fee, bonus, refund, override, commission,
cross-commission, dividend or other consideration to any
participant in a multilevel marketing program solely for the
solicitation or recruitment of other participants therein;
(iii) Offer to pay, pay or authorize the payment of
any finder's fee, bonus, refund, override, commission,
cross-commission, dividend or other consideration to any
participant in a multilevel marketing program in connection with
the sale of any product or service unless the participant
performs a bona fide supervisory, distributive, selling or
soliciting function in the sale or delivery of the product or
services to the ultimate consumer; or
(iv) Offer to pay, pay or authorize the payment of
any finder's fee, bonus, refund, override, commission,
cross-commission, dividend or other consideration to any
participant:
(A) If payment thereof is or would be dependent
on the element of chance dominating over the skill or judgment
of the participant;
(B) If no amount of judgment or skill exercised
by the participant has any appreciable effect upon any finder's
fee, bonus, refund, override, commission, cross-commission,
dividend or other consideration which the participant may
receive; or
(C) If the participant is without that degree of
control over the operation of the plan as to enable him
substantially to affect the amount of finder's fee, bonus,
refund, override, commission, cross-commission, dividend or
other consideration which he may receive or be entitled to
receive.
40-3-107.
restricted.
Representations of prospective income
Multilevel distribution companies shall not represent directly
or by implication that participants in a multilevel marketing
program will earn or receive any stated gross or net amount, or
represent in any manner the past earnings of participants. A
written or verbal description of the manner in which the
marketing plan operates shall not, standing alone, constitute a
representation of earnings, past or future. Multilevel
distribution companies shall not represent directly or by
implication, that it is relatively easy to secure or retain
additional distributors or sales personnel or that all or
substantially all participants will succeed.
40-3-108.
Licensed activities excluded.
Nothing in W.S. 40-3-101 through 40-3-125 shall apply to acts or
practices permitted under the laws of this state or under rules,
regulations or decisions interpreting the laws, or to any person
who has procured a license as provided by W.S. 39-17-106(a) or
(b).
40-3-109.
process.
Notice of activity and consent to service of
Each multilevel distribution company numbering among its
participants any resident of this state shall file with the
state's attorney general a statement giving notice of this fact
and designating the secretary of state of this state its agent
for service of process for any alleged violation of this act.
The written notice shall further set forth the intention of the
multilevel distribution company to abide by the provisions of
this act. Compliance with this section shall not subject any
multilevel distribution company to the provisions or
consequences of any other statute of this state.
40-3-110. Secretary of state agent for service of process
for violations.
Any multilevel distribution company, which fails to comply with
W.S. 40-3-109 is deemed to have thereby appointed the secretary
of state its agent for service of process for any alleged
violation of this act.
40-3-111.
Investigatory powers.
(a) If the attorney general has reason to believe that a
person has engaged in activity which violates the provisions of
this act, he shall make an investigation to determine if this
act has been violated, and, to the extent necessary for this
purpose, may administer oaths or affirmations, and, upon his own
motion or upon request of any party, may subpoena witnesses,
compel their attendance, adduce evidence, and require the
production of any matter which is relevant to the investigation,
including the existence, description, nature, custody, condition
and location of any books, documents or other tangible things
and the identity and location of persons having knowledge of
relevant facts or any other matter reasonably calculated to lead
to the discovery of admissible evidence.
(b) If the person's records are located outside this
state, the person at his option shall either make them available
to the attorney general at a convenient location within this
state or pay the reasonable and necessary expenses for the
attorney general or his representative to examine them at the
place where they are maintained. The attorney general may
designate representatives, including comparable officials of the
state in which the records are located, to inspect them on his
behalf.
(c) Upon failure without lawful excuse to obey a subpoena
or to give testimony and upon reasonable notice to all persons
affected thereby, the attorney general may apply to the district
court for an order compelling compliance.
40-3-112.
Service of process.
(a) Service of any type of process authorized by this act
shall be personal within this state, but if such personal
service cannot be obtained, substituted service may be made in
the following manner:
(i)
By service as provided by W.S. 40-3-109 and
40-3-110;
(ii)
(iii)
By service on the secretary of state;
Personal service without the state;
(iv) By registered or certified mail to the last
known place of business, residence or abode of such persons for
whom it is intended;
(v) As to any person other than a natural person, in
the manner provided in the rules of civil procedure as if a
complaint or other pleading which institutes a civil action has
been filed; or
(vi) By such service as a district court may direct
in lieu of personal service within this state.
40-3-113.
Venue of action for injunctive relief.
An action under this act may be brought in the district court of
the county in which the alleged violator resides or has his
place of business or in the district court of Laramie county,
Wyoming.
40-3-114.
exclusive.
Injunctive relief against violations; remedy not
The attorney general may, whenever it appears to him that any
person has engaged or is about to engage in any act or practice
constituting a violation of any provision of this act or any
rule or order hereunder, bring an action in the name of the
people of the state in a district court to enjoin the acts or
practices or to enforce compliance with this act or any rule or
order hereunder. Upon a proper showing, a permanent or
preliminary injunction or restraining order shall be granted.
The court shall not require the attorney general to post a bond.
This section is not deemed to be exclusive of the remedies
available to the state and the criminal penalties found in this
act may also apply to individuals who are the subject of an
action brought under this section.
40-3-115.
Civil penalty for violating injunction.
The attorney general, upon petition to the
on behalf of the state, a civil penalty of
thousand dollars ($5,000.00) per violation
violates the terms of an injunction issued
40-3-116.
authorized.
court, may recover,
not more than five
from any person who
under W.S. 40-3-114.
Acceptance of assurance of voluntary compliance
In the enforcement of this act, the attorney general may accept
an assurance of voluntary compliance with respect to any act or
practice alleged to be violative of this act from any person who
has engaged in, is engaging in or is about to engage in such act
or practice.
40-3-117.
Jurisdiction retained by court.
The court shall retain jurisdiction in any case where an
injunction is entered or a consent agreement is reached or an
assurance of voluntary compliance is agreed upon.
40-3-118.
receiver.
Additional relief authorized; appointment of
The court may make such additional orders or judgments as may be
necessary to restore to any person in interest any monies or
property, real or personal, which the court finds to have been
acquired by means of any act or practice committed in violation
of this act. Such additional relief may include the appointment
of a receiver whenever it appears to the satisfaction of the
court that the defendant threatens or is about to remove,
conceal or dispose of his property to the damage of persons to
whom restoration would be made under this act.
40-3-119.
property.
Receiver's power to acquire and dispose of
Any receiver appointed pursuant to W.S. 40-3-118 has the power
to sue for, collect, receive and take into his possession all
the goods and chattels, rights and credits, monies and effects,
land and tenements, books, records, documents, papers, choses in
action, bills, notes and property of every description derived
in violation of this act by any multilevel distribution company
or any distributor in any multilevel distribution marketing plan
sponsored by such company, including property which has been
commingled with company or distributor property, if it cannot be
identified in kind because of such commingling, and to sell,
convey and assign the same and hold and dispose of the proceeds
thereof under the direction of the court.
40-3-120. Civil penalty for willful violation; willful
violation defined.
In any action brought pursuant to this act, if the court finds
that any person has engaged in prohibited activities in willful
violation of or in reckless disregard for any provision of this
act, the attorney general or county attorney in any county in
which the violation occurred, upon petition to the court, may
recover, on behalf of the state, a civil penalty of not more
than two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) per violation. For
purposes of this section, a willful or reckless disregard occurs
when the party committing the violation knew or should have
known that his conduct was a violation of this act.
40-3-121. Property acquisition and disposition remedy
available in action for private remedy.
The remedy provided by W.S. 40-3-119 is available to any person
in any action brought for a private remedy against any
multilevel distribution company or any distributor in the
multilevel distribution marketing plan sponsored by the company.
40-3-122. Penalties for violations; other criminal
remedies unimpaired.
Any person who willfully violates any provision of this act, or
who willfully violates any rule or order under this act, shall
upon conviction be fined not more than five hundred dollars
($500.00) or imprisoned in a county jail for not more than one
(1) year, or be punished by both such fine and imprisonment, but
no person may be imprisoned for the violation of any rule or
order if he proves that he had no knowledge of the rule or
order. Nothing in this act limits the power of the state to
punish any person for any conduct which constitutes a crime
under any other statute.
40-3-123.
Limitation of actions.
No action shall be maintained to enforce any liability created
under this act unless brought before the expiration of three (3)
years after the act or transaction constituting the violation or
the expiration of one (1) year after the discovery by the
plaintiff of the fact constituting the violation.
40-3-124.
Causes of action under other law unimpaired.
Nothing in this act shall in any way affect causes of action
arising under other laws of this state or under the common law
brought by any private person.
40-3-125.
Severability of provisions.
If a part of this act is invalid, all valid parts that are
severable from the invalid part remain in effect. If a part of
this act is invalid in one (1) or more of its applications, the
part remains in effect in all valid applications that are
severable from the invalid applications.
CHAPTER 4
DISCRIMINATION
40-4-101.
exceptions.
What constitutes unfair discrimination; penalty;
(a) Any person, firm, corporation, foreign or domestic, or
other entity doing business in the state of Wyoming and engaged
in the production, manufacture, sale or distribution of any
commodity in general use, shall not:
(i) Make, enter into, form or become a party to any
plan, contract, agreement, consolidation, merger or combination
of any kind whatsoever to prevent competition or to control or
influence production or prices thereof.
(ii)
(iii)
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
(b) Any person, firm, corporation or other entity
violating subsection (a) of this section is guilty of unfair
discrimination and any agreement, contract, whether express or
implied, or any provision of an agreement or contract violating
subsection (a) of this section is illegal and void to the extent
it violates subsection (a) of this section.
(c)
This chapter shall not:
(i)
(ii)
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
(iii) Prevent the sale of goods at commercial
discounts customary in the sale of the goods;
(iv) Prohibit cooperative agreements for antitrust
exceptions approved and operating pursuant to W.S. 35-24-101
through 35-24-116;
(v) Prohibit the development, agreement on and use of
standards designed to permit or encourage competition or
interoperability among products or services, provided the
standards do not include provisions fixing or colluding on the
prices or colluding to prevent competition by limiting the
availability of the products or services;
(vi) Prohibit any person, firm, corporation or other
entity from entering into any agreement or contract with a
customer which specifies the price charged, or the services
furnished, to the customer, or which gives discounts or
additional services to the customer for purchasing specified
volumes or multiple products of the same or similar product or
service; or
(vii) Prohibit any person, firm, corporation or other
entity from offering a customer loyalty program.
(d) As used in this chapter "this act" means W.S. 40-4-101
through 40-4-105, 40-4-107, 40-4-109, 40-4-110 and 40-4-114.
40-4-102. Duty of attorney general and county attorney
upon complaint.
If complaint shall be made to the attorney general of the state
of Wyoming, or the county attorney of any county thereof, that
any corporation, chartered in this state or any foreign
corporation, doing business in this state by virtue of
compliance with the laws thereof, or any person or firm of
persons doing business in this state, is guilty of unfair
discrimination, within the terms of this act, it shall be the
duty of the attorney general, and the county attorneys of this
state to institute an inquiry as to such discrimination, giving
to the party complained against notice and reasonable
opportunity to be heard, and if in the judgment of such
prosecuting officers, or either of them, any corporation,
foreign or domestic, or any person or firm of persons shall have
been guilty of unfair discrimination, within the terms of this
act, it shall be their duty to institute quo warranto
proceeding, to forfeit the charter of said domestic corporation,
or if a foreign corporation to procure an order of court to
cause the permit of said corporation to do business in this
state, immediately forfeited.
40-4-103. Ouster of corporation for doing business after
revocation of charter or permit.
If after the revocation of such charter, in the case of domestic
corporation; or if its permit, if it be a foreign corporation,
any corporation shall continue or attempt to do business in the
state of Wyoming, it shall be the duty of the attorney general,
by a proper suit, in the name of the state of Wyoming to oust
such corporation from all business of every kind and character
in said state of Wyoming.
40-4-104.
Penalty for violation of provisions.
Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions
of this chapter shall be fined in any sum not more than five
thousand dollars ($5,000.00), or by imprisonment in the county
jail not exceeding one (1) year, or both such fine and
imprisonment.
40-4-105.
Cumulative remedies.
Nothing in this act shall be construed as repealing any other
act or part of an act, but the remedies herein provided shall be
cumulative to all other remedies, provided by law.
40-4-106.
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
40-4-107.
Sale at less than cost prohibited; cost defined.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership,
firm, corporation, joint-stock company, or other association
engaged in business within this state, to sell, offer for sale
or advertise for sale any article or product, at less than the
cost thereof to such vendor, or give, offer to give or advertise
the intent to give away any article or product for the purpose
of injuring competitors and destroying competition.
(b) The term cost as applied to production or
manufacturing is hereby defined as including the cost of raw
materials and labor and as applied to distribution cost shall
mean the invoice or replacement cost, whichever is lower, of the
article or product to the distributor and vendor plus any
freight charges, all applicable federal, state and local taxes
and any charges imposed by federal, state or local government
that are not taxes that are paid by the distributor and vendor
and are not included in the invoice cost.
(c)
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
40-4-108.
40-4-109.
cost.
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
Proof of intent; cost survey as evidence of
In any injunction proceeding or in the prosecution of any person
as officer, director or agent, it shall be sufficient to allege
and prove the unlawful intent of the person, firm or corporation
for whom or which he acts. Where a particular trade or industry,
of which the person, firm or corporation complained against is a
member, has an established cost survey for the locality and
vicinity in which the offense is committed, the said cost survey
shall be deemed competent evidence to be used in proving the
costs of the person, firm or corporation complained against
within the provisions of this act.
40-4-110. Persons, agreements and transactions exempted
from W.S. 40-4-107 and 40-4-109.
(a) The provisions of W.S. 40-4-107 and 40-4-109 shall not
apply to any sale made:
(i) In closing out in good faith the owner's stock or
any part thereof for the purpose of discontinuing his trade in
any such stock or commodity, and in the case of the sale of
seasonal goods or to the bona fide sale of perishable goods to
prevent loss to the vendor by spoilage or depreciation, provided
notice is given to the public thereof;
(ii) When the goods are damaged or deteriorated in
quality, and notice is given to the public thereof;
(iii)
court;
By an officer acting under the orders of any
(iv) In an endeavor made in good faith to meet the
prices of a competitor selling the same or similar article or
product in the same locality or trade area;
(v) When the goods are sold for promotional purposes
at a special sale of limited duration including but not limited
to a grand opening sale, an annual anniversary sale, an annual
customer appreciation sale or a community, neighborhood or mall
wide sale;
(vi) In a sale of limited duration to reduce
inventory, dispose of slow selling items or dispose of items
replaced or to be replaced by new models;
(vii) Of any products in a class of products where
the prices are identical for the same volume throughout the
class provided the total revenues from all the sales of products
of that class by the vendor exceed the costs as defined in W.S.
40-4-107. For pharmaceuticals, for the purposes of this
subsection, prices are identical if they are identical for a
supply for a defined period of time even though the physical
quantities of pharmaceuticals may be different.
(b) Any person, firm or corporation who performs work
upon, renovates, alters or improves any personal property
belonging to another person, firm or corporation, shall be
construed to be a vendor within the meaning of this act.
(c) W.S. 40-4-107 through 40-4-110 shall not apply to any
person entering into a cooperative arrangement for antitrust
exceptions approved pursuant to W.S. 35-24-101 through
35-24-116.
40-4-111.
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
40-4-112.
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
40-4-113.
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
40-4-114.
Enjoining violations; recovery of damages.
(a) Any person, firm, private corporation or trade
association, having a reasonably foreseeable physical and
economic causal nexus to the specific act or acts alleged to be
a violation, may maintain an action to enjoin a continuance of
any act or acts in violation of this act.
(b) Any injured person may maintain an action for
violation of this act against the alleged violator to recover
the actual damages sustained by the injured person together with
reasonable attorneys fees and costs.
(c)
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
(d)
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
(e)
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
(f)
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
(g)
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
40-4-115.
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
40-4-116.
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
40-4-117.
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
40-4-118.
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
40-4-119.
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
40-4-120.
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
40-4-121.
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 172, § 2.
40-4-122. Requiring construction of particular building to
maintain agency or dealership.
Any manufacturer, or any jobber or distributor for any
manufactured product, or any salesman, agent or representative
of any such manufacturer, jobber or distributor who requires, or
attempts to require, of any dealer or agent residing in the
state of Wyoming, who sells or services the products of such
manufacturer, jobber or distributor, that such Wyoming agent or
dealer construct or build any particular type or standard of
building in order to maintain his agency or dealership to sell
such manufactured product, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and
upon conviction thereof shall be fined not more than one
thousand dollars ($1,000.00), or sentenced to imprisonment in
the county jail for not more than six (6) months, or shall be
subject to both such fine and imprisonment.
40-4-123. Requiring purchase of accessories to maintain
agency or dealership.
Any manufacturer, or any jobber or distributing agent for any
manufactured product, or any salesman, agent or representative
of any such manufacturer, jobber or distributor, who requires,
or attempts to require, of any Wyoming agent or dealer selling
or servicing the products of such manufacturer, jobber or
distributor, that such Wyoming dealer or agent purchase
accessories or products of such manufacturer, jobber or
distributor in order to obtain other products of such
manufacturer, jobber or distributor shall be guilty of a
misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not more
than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), or sentenced to
imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six (6)
months, or shall be subject to both such fine and imprisonment.
CHAPTER 5
PAINT
40-5-101.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 22, § 1.
40-5-102.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 22, § 1.
40-5-103.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 22, § 1.
40-5-104.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 22, § 1.
40-5-105.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 22, § 1.
40-5-106.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 22, § 1.
40-5-107.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 22, § 1.
40-5-108.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 22, § 1.
40-5-109.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 22, § 1.
40-5-110.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 22, § 1.
40-5-111.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 22, § 1.
40-5-112.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 22, § 1.
40-5-113.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 22, § 1.
40-5-114.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 22, § 1.
40-5-115.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 22, § 1.
40-5-116.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 22, § 1.
40-5-117.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 22, § 1.
CHAPTER 6
TRUTH IN FABRICS
40-6-101.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 23, § 1.
40-6-102.
Repealed By Laws 1996 , ch. 23, § 1.
40-6-103.
Repealed By Laws 1996 , ch. 23, § 1.
CHAPTER 7
STANDARDS FOR ANTIFREEZE AND PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
40-7-101.
Products must conform to standards.
No antifreeze product, engine fuel or petroleum product shall be
sold or offered for sale in the state of Wyoming, unless it
conforms to the standards of quality prescribed in this act or
rules promulgated under it.
40-7-102.
(a)
Definitions.
As used in this act:
(i) "Antifreeze manufacturer" means any person who
packages antifreeze products in containers for storage,
distribution or sale in this state;
(ii) "Antifreeze products" means any fluid which will
prevent freezing or enhance cooling efficiency of the cooling
system, radiator or heat transfer system of an engine when added
to that system;
(iii)
and Materials;
(iv)
"ASTM" means the American Society for Testing
"Board" means the state board of agriculture;
(v) "Director" means the director of the department
of agriculture or his duly authorized representative;
(vi) "Dealer" means any person in the business of
delivering or distributing to a consumer or selling, offering
for sale, refining or manufacturing any petroleum products,
liquefied petroleum gas, engine fuel or antifreeze products in
this state;
(vii)
agriculture;
"Department" means the Wyoming department of
(viii) "Diesel fuel" means a refined petroleum
product suitable as a fuel in compression ignition diesel
engines, both fixed and mobile, including all grades and
qualities;
(ix) "Fuel oil" means a refined petroleum product,
commonly known as heating oil, furnace oil, domestic oil or
distillates, used for heating, power generation and cooking
purposes, including all grades and qualities;
(x) "Gasoline" means a volatile substance produced,
manufactured, blended, distilled or compounded from petroleum,
natural gas, oil, shale oils or coal and other volatile
flammable liquids which can be used as a fuel in a spark
ignition internal combustion engine, and which meets the
standards and specifications of this act. "Gasoline" includes
all grades and qualities, leaded or unleaded, but excludes
diesel fuel;
(xi) "Gasohol" means a motor fuel composed of ninety
percent (90%) gasoline by volume and ten percent (10%) denatured
ethanol by volume;
(xii) "Kerosene" means a refined petroleum product,
also known as kerosine, used as heating or illuminating oil that
includes all grades and qualities;
(xiii) "Liquefied petroleum gas" or "LP" means a
volatile petroleum product which can be used as either a liquid
or a gas for domestic, commercial, industrial or engine fuel,
including all grades and qualities, composed predominately of
the following hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof: propane,
propylene, butanes and butylenes, but excluding prepackaged
nonrefillable liquefied petroleum gas products;
(xiv) "Mislabeled" means a package label or
dispensing device of a product which bears any statement, design
or device regarding it, regarding ingredients or substances
therein, or regarding the properties, quality or kind of the
products, which is false or misleading in any manner;
(xv) "Petroleum products" means all illuminating,
fuel and power oils, which are products of petroleum, or into
which petroleum or any product of petroleum enters or is found
as a constituent, and includes but is not limited to gasoline,
kerosene, diesel fuel, fuel oil, gasohol, gasoline alcohol
blends, biodiesel blends, engine fuels and liquefied petroleum
gas. Any petroleum product sold at retail shall have a
designation and meet specifications provided by the ASTM;
(xvi) "Products" means all petroleum products and
antifreeze products;
(xvii) "Retail dealer" means any dealer or person who
sells products to the consumer or user of the products;
(xviii) "Sell" or "sale" means the delivery or
distribution of a product to a consumer and includes barter and
exchange;
(xix) "Wholesale dealer" or "supplier" means a dealer
who sells products to a retail dealer;
(xx) "Biodiesel" means a fuel comprised of mono akyl
esters of long chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or
animal fats which may or may not be blended with diesel fuel;
(xxi) "Biofuel" means any commercially produced
liquid or gas used to propel motor vehicles or otherwise
substitute for liquid or gaseous fuels that is derived from
agricultural crops or residues or from forest products or
byproducts, as distinct from petroleum or other fossil carbon
sources. "Biofuel" includes, but is not limited to, ethanol,
methanol derived from biomass, levulinic acid, biodiesel,
pyrolysis oils from wood, hydrogen or methane from biomass, or
combinations of any of the above that may be used to propel
motor vehicles either alone or in blends with conventional
gasoline or diesel fuels;
(xxii) "Nonrefined products" means any liquid or gas
added to diesel, gasoline or gasohol comprising more than onehalf of one percent (.5%) by volume and that:
(A)
Is not refined; or
(B) Was added after the diesel fuel, gasoline or
gasohol left the refinery.
(xxiii) "Oxygenate" means an oxygen-containing,
ashless, organic compound which can be used as a fuel, or fuel
supplement such as, but not limited to, ether, ethanol, methanol
and other alcohols;
(xxiv) "Refining" means the cracking, distillation,
separation, conversion, upgrading, and finishing of petroleum
products;
(xxv) "Biodiesel blend" means a fuel comprised of a
blend of biodiesel fuel with petroleum-based diesel fuel,
designated BXX. In the abbreviation BXX, the "XX" represents
the volume percentage of biodiesel fuel in the blend;
(xxvi) "E85 fuel ethanol" means a blend of ethanol
and hydrocarbons of which the ethanol portion is nominally
seventy-five percent (75%) to eighty-five percent (85%) volume
denatured fuel ethanol;
(xxvii) "Engine fuel" means any liquid or gaseous
matter used for the generation of power in an internal
combustion engine. "Engine fuel" includes but is not limited to
fuels derived from petroleum, biomass and vegetable oils, new or
used. Any engine fuel sold at retail must have a designation
and meet specifications provided by the ASTM;
(xxviii) "Ethanol" or "denatured fuel ethanol" means
nominally anhydrous ethyl alcohol meeting ASTM D 4806 standards.
It is intended to be blended with gasoline for use as a fuel in
a spark-ignition internal combustion engine. The denatured fuel
ethanol is first made unfit for drinking by the addition of
United States bureau of alcohol, tobacco, and firearms approved
substances before blending with gasoline;
(xxix) "Gasoline alcohol blend" means a fuel
consisting primarily of gasoline and a substantial amount (more
than thirty-five hundredths percent (0.35%) mass of oxygen or
more than fifteen hundredths percent (0.15%) mass of oxygen if
methanol is the only oxygenate) of one (1) or more alcohols;
(xxx) "Low sulfur" means low sulfur diesel fuel that
meets ASTM D 975 standards, including grade low sulfur no. 1-D
S500 or grade low sulfur no. 2-D S500. Diesel fuel containing
higher amounts of sulfur for off-road use is defined by United
States environmental protection agency regulations;
(xxxi) "M100 fuel methanol" means nominally anhydrous
methyl alcohol, generally containing small amounts of additives,
suitable for use as a fuel in a compression-ignition internal
combustion engine;
(xxxii) "M85 fuel methanol" means a blend of methanol
and hydrocarbons of which the methanol portion is nominally
seventy percent (70%) to eighty-five percent (85%) volume;
(xxxiii) "Oxygen content of gasoline" means the
percentage of oxygen by mass contained in a gasoline;
(xxxiv) "Substantially similar" means the United
States environmental protection agency's substantially similar
rule, section 211(f)(1) of the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C.
7545(f)(1);
(xxxv) "Total alcohol" means the aggregate total
percentage by volume of all alcohol contained in any fuel
defined in this chapter;
(xxxvi) "Total oxygenate" means the aggregate total
percentage by volume of all oxygenates contained in any fuel
defined in this chapter;
(xxxvii) "Ultra low sulfur diesel" means ultra low
sulfur diesel fuel that meets ASTM D 975 standards and contains
no more than fifteen (15) parts per million (1,000,000) sulfur,
including grade ultra low sulfur no. 1-D S15 or grade ultra low
sulfur no. 2-D S15;
(xxxviii)
"This act" means W.S. 40-7-101 through
40-7-111.
40-7-103.
Board to promulgate standards.
(a) The board shall promulgate rules and standards of
quality for products to implement this act, including the
adoption of ASTM or other appropriate standards or
specifications and definitions for products not defined in this
chapter, subject to the following:
(i)
Repealed by Laws 2009, Ch. 130, § 2.
(ii)
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 130, § 2.
(iii) Fuel oil ASTM grades No. 1 and No. 2 shall have
a flash point not lower than one hundred fifteen degrees
Fahrenheit (115F F);
(iv) Fuel oil ASTM grades No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6
shall not contain more than one and one-half percent (1.5%)
sulfur by weight;
(v)
Kerosene shall:
(A)
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 130, § 2.
(B)
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 130, § 2.
(C) Have a flash point not lower than one
hundred fifteen degrees Fahrenheit (115H F);
(D)
Meet the standards set forth in ASTM D3699.
(vi) Any gasoline, gasohol or diesel fuel sold in the
wholesale or retail market place that contains any oxygenate,
biofuel or nonrefined product shall be clearly labeled with the
name and maximum percentage by volume of any ethanol or other
oxygenate, biofuel or nonrefined product.
40-7-104.
Penalty for violations.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this act is guilty
of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than seven
hundred fifty dollars ($750.00).
40-7-105.
Enforcement.
The director shall enforce this act and shall periodically
collect, samples of petroleum, engine fuel and antifreeze
products for analysis from every storage tank directly supplying
these products to retail dispensing devices located at a retail
sales facility. At least one (1) sample per year shall be taken
from each storage tank by a dispenser located at a retail sales
facility. The sample shall be acquired after allowing at least
one (1) gallon of product to flow from the dispenser. The
director may collect samples from pipelines, storage tanks and
transport tanks at refineries and intermediate storage and
dispensing facilities as he deems necessary.
40-7-106.
Seizure and sale.
Any product sold, stored, transported or offered for sale as a
petroleum product, engine fuel or antifreeze in this state which
does not conform to the provisions of this act or rules
promulgated under it shall be seized by the director and sold in
accordance with state law. The proceeds of the sale shall be
applied on payment of court costs or other necessary expenses
incurred in making the seizure and condemnation.
40-7-107.
apply.
Analysis by state chemist; ASTM standards to
(a) The state chemist shall make, or cause to be made
under his direction, analysis and examinations of the petroleum
and antifreeze products furnished to him by the director, or his
deputies, to determine whether the products conform to this act
and rules promulgated under it and shall certify examination
results to the director following applicable ASTM methods
designated in the ASTM standards required for each product.
(b) ASTM specifications and definitions for petroleum
products not defined in Wyoming statutes shall be adopted by
the board.
40-7-108.
Repealed By Laws 1985, ch. 134, § 2.
40-7-109.
Exemption for retail dealer.
No retail dealer shall be subject to penalties under this act if
he relied on a written guarantee or invoice from a wholesaler or
supplier that the products delivered complied with this act.
40-7-110.
Antifreeze must be approved by state chemist.
No antifreeze dealer shall sell or offer for sale any antifreeze
product which has not been approved by the state chemist and
registered with the department on forms prescribed by the
department. Registration forms shall only be submitted by a
manufacturer. Registration does not expire, but a registration
shall be amended to reflect any changes in product formulation
or product package labeling.
40-7-111.
Electronic transmittals.
The director may allow the testing, inspection and reporting
requirements of this chapter to be conducted electronically as
provided by the Uniform Electronic Transaction Act, W.S.
40-21-101 through 40-21-119 and any applicable federal
electronic requirements.
CHAPTER 8
STANDARDS FOR TRACTOR FUEL
40-8-101.
Repealed By Laws 1985, ch. 134, § 2.
40-8-102.
Repealed By Laws 1985, ch. 134, § 2.
40-8-103.
Repealed By Laws 1985, ch. 134, § 2.
40-8-104.
Repealed By Laws 1985, ch. 134, § 2.
40-8-105.
Repealed By Laws 1985, ch. 134, § 2.
40-8-106.
Repealed By Laws 1985, ch. 134, § 2.
CHAPTER 9
STANDARDS FOR NATURAL GAS
40-9-101.
Standard natural gas defined.
(a) For the purpose of this chapter standard natural gas
shall be considered to have an average standard of heating units
of not less than one thousand (1,000) British thermal units per
cubic foot of gas, ascertained and determined by the state
chemist in accordance with standard conditions, to wit:
(i)
At a temperature of sixty degrees Fahrenheit (60A
F);
(ii)
40-9-102.
Under pressure of thirty (30) inches of mercury.
Factors to be considered in fixing rates.
The standard of heating units herein prescribed and any
variations therefrom, in any gas distributed by any utility, or
utilities, to users of natural gas, shall be taken into
consideration by the public service commission as an additional
factor to the factors provided for in W.S. 37-2-118, as a basis
for fixing rates and rate schedules for the allowable charges
the utility may make against the users of natural gas in any
particular town, city or community, in which the question of
such rates shall be presented to said commission, as provided
for in W.S. 37-2-118.
40-9-103. Tests and report of state chemist upon
complaint; use of results as evidence and in fixing rates.
Whenever any complaint is made, as provided for in W.S.
37-2-118, that the heat units of the natural gas supplied by any
utility to the users thereof in any town or municipality are
below the standard thereof theretofore used as a factor in the
basis for rates to be charged by the utility in that particular
town or municipality, the public service commission shall notify
the state chemist to make proper tests of the heating units of
the gas furnished by such utility to the complaining
municipality. The state chemist shall certify to the public
service commission and to the mayor of the complaining town or
municipality the result of such test, which said certificate
shall be used as competent evidence by the public service
commission at the hearing of said complaint, and shall be used
by the commission as one (1) of the factors as a basis for any
change in the rates the commission may find necessary to make.
40-9-104.
Municipality may require test every 3 months.
The mayor, or city council of any town or municipality, in which
natural gas is furnished by any utility is hereby given the
right to require the state chemist to make a test of such gas
every three (3) months and to certify the results thereof to
said mayor, or city council and public service commission.
40-9-105.
Expense of tests charged to state university.
Any and all expenses incurred by the state chemist in carrying
out the provisions of this chapter shall be a charge against the
University of Wyoming.
CHAPTER 10
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
40-10-101.
Repealed By Laws 1993, ch. 160, § 3.
40-10-102.
Repealed By Laws 1993, ch. 160, § 3.
40-10-103.
Repealed By Laws 1993, ch. 160, § 3.
40-10-104.
Repealed By Laws 1993, ch. 160, § 3.
40-10-105.
Repealed By Laws 1993, ch. 160, § 3.
40-10-106.
Repealed By Laws 1993, ch. 160, § 3.
40-10-107.
Repealed By Laws 1993, ch. 160, § 3.
40-10-108.
Repealed By Laws 1993, ch. 160, § 3.
40-10-109.
Repealed By Laws 1993, ch. 160, § 3.
40-10-110.
Repealed By Laws 1993, ch. 160, § 3.
40-10-111.
Repealed By Laws 1993, ch. 160, § 3.
40-10-112.
Repealed By Laws 1993, ch. 160, § 3.
40-10-113.
Repealed By Laws 1993, ch. 160, § 3.
40-10-114.
Repealed By Laws 1993, ch. 160, § 3.
40-10-115.
Repealed By Laws 1993, ch. 160, § 3.
40-10-116.
Repealed By Laws 1993, ch. 160, § 3.
40-10-117.
Definitions.
(a)
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 191, § 2.
(b)
As used in this chapter:
(i) "Accreditation" means a formal recognition by the
national institute of standards and technology, as a laboratory
that is competent to carry out specific tests or calibrations or
types of tests or calibrations;
(ii) "Calibration" means a set of operations which
establishes, under specified conditions, the relationship
between values indicated by a measuring instrument or measuring
system or values represented by a material measure, to the
corresponding known values of a measurement;
(iii)
"Commerce" means the buying and selling of
goods;
(iv) "Commercial weighing and measuring equipment"
means weighing and measuring devices commercially used or
employed to establish the size, quantity, extent, area or
measurements of goods purchased, offered or submitted for sale,
hire or award, or in computing a basic charge or payment for
services;
(v) "Condemned for repairs" means a weight or measure
found to be incorrect and which, following policies set forth by
the director, can be repaired. Weights or measures which are
condemned for repair shall be marked as such and be sealed so
that the weight or measure cannot be used and is made inoperable
until all appropriate repairs are completed;
(vi) "Confiscation and seizure" means that an
incorrect weight or measure is taken into custody by the
department following procedures and policies set forth by the
director. Weights or measures which are confiscated shall be
marked as such and if possible shall be removed from the
premises to the direct custody of the department;
(vii) "Correct" as used in connection with weights
and measures means conformance to all applicable requirements of
this act;
(viii)
agriculture;
"Department" means the department of
(ix) "Director" means the director of the department
of agriculture or his duly authorized representative;
(x) "Field standard" means a physical standard that
meets specifications and tolerances in the National Institute of
Standards and Technology Handbook 105-series standards, is
traceable to the reference or working standards through
comparisons or using acceptable laboratory procedures as adopted
by the National Conference on Weights and Measures and published
in the United States Department of Commerce National Institute
of Standards and Technology Handbook 143, "State Weights and
Measures Laboratories Program Handbook," and is used in
conjunction with commercial weighing and measuring equipment.
All field standards may be defined by rule and regulation and
shall be verified upon their initial receipt and as often
thereafter as deemed necessary by the director;
(xi) "International system of units" means the
modernized metric system as established in 1960 by the general
conference on weights and measures as interpreted or modified
for the United States by the secretary of commerce;
(xii)
"Mass" means the same as "weight";
(xiii) "Net weight" means the weight of a commodity
excluding any materials, substances or items not considered to
be part of the commodity. Materials, substances or items not
considered to be part of the commodity include, but are not
limited to, containers, conveyances, bags, wrappers, packaging
materials, labels, individual piece coverings, decorative
accompaniments and coupons, except that packaging materials may
be considered to be part of services such as shipping;
(xiv) "Package" means any commodity put up or
packaged in any manner in advance of sale in units suitable for
either wholesale or retail sale;
(xv) "Physical standard" means weights and measures
that are traceable to the United States prototype standards
supplied by the federal government, including, but not limited
to, standards adopted by the United States department of the
interior, bureau of land management applicable to onshore oil
and gas leases, the United States federal energy regulatory
commission, the United States department of transportation, the
state of Wyoming public service commission, or approved as being
satisfactory by the National Institute of Standards and
Technology. Physical standards shall be the state reference and
working standards for weights and measures and shall be
maintained in such calibration as prescribed by the National
Institute of Standards and Technology as demonstrated through
laboratory accreditation or recognition;
(xvi) "Primary standards" means the physical
standards of the state that serve as the legal reference from
which all other standards and weights and measures are derived;
(xvii) "Random weight package" means a package that
is one of a lot, shipment or delivery of packages of the same
commodity with no fixed pattern of weights;
(xviii) "Recognition" means a formal recognition by
the National Institute of Standards and Technology weights and
measures division that a laboratory has demonstrated the ability
to provide traceable measurement results and is competent to
carry out specific tests or calibrations or specific types of
tests or calibrations;
(xix)
"Reference standard" means:
(A) A standard, generally of the highest
metrological quality available at a given location, from which
measurements made at that location are derived; or
(B) The physical standards of the state that
serve as the legal reference from which all other standards for
weights and measures within that state are derived.
(xx) "Registered service person" means an individual
who for hire, award, commission or any other payment of any
kind, installs, services, repairs or reconditions a commercial
weighing or measuring device, and who is registered with the
director;
(xxi) "Reject" means a weight or measure found to be
incorrect, and following policies set forth by the director may
be used until repaired. A weight or measure which is rejected
shall be marked as such, and may be used for the period of time
specified pursuant to rule and regulation;
(xxii) "Sale from bulk" means a sale of commodities
in which the quantity is determined at the time of sale;
(xxiii)
standards that are
comparisons, using
the enforcement of
"Secondary standards" means the physical
traceable to the primary standards through
acceptable laboratory procedures, and used in
weights and measures laws and regulations;
(xxiv) "Standard package" means a package that is one
of a lot, shipment or delivery of packages of the same commodity
with identical net contents declarations, such as, one (1) liter
bottles or twelve (12) fluid ounce cans of carbonated soda, five
hundred (500) gram or five (5) pound bags of sugar, one hundred
(100) meter or three hundred (300) foot packages of rope;
(xxv) "Traceability" means the result of a
measurement or the value of a standard which can be verified as
correct when compared with a national or international standard;
(xxvi) "Uncertainty" means a parameter associated
with the result of a measurement that characterizes the
dispersion of the values that could reasonably be attributed to
the measurement;
(xxvii) "Verification" means the formal evaluation of
a standard or device against the specifications and tolerances
for determining conformance;
(xxviii) "Weight" as used in connection with any
commodity or service means net weight. When a commodity is sold
by drained weight, the term means net drained weight. When used
in this chapter, "weight" and "mass" have the same meaning;
(xxix) "Weight and measure" means weights and
measures of every kind, instruments and devices for weighing and
measuring, and any appliance or accessory associated with such
instruments or devices;
(xxx)
"Working standard" means:
(A) A standard that is usually calibrated
against a reference standard and is used routinely to calibrate
or check material measures, measuring instruments or reference
materials; or
(B) The physical standards that are traceable to
the reference standards through comparisons, using acceptable
laboratory procedures and used in the enforcement of weights and
measures laws and regulations.
(xxxi) "This act" or "this chapter" means W.S.
40-10-117 through 40-10-136.
40-10-118.
Recognized systems.
The system of weights and measures in customary use in the
United States and the metric system of weights and measures are
jointly recognized, and either one (1) or both of these systems
shall be used for all commercial purposes in the state. The
definitions of basic units of weight and measure, the tables of
weight and measure, and weights and measures equivalents as
published by the United States Department of Commerce National
Institute of Standards and Technology are recognized and shall
govern weighing and measuring equipment and transactions in the
state.
40-10-119.
Physical standards.
Weights and measures that are traceable to the United States
prototype standards supplied by the federal government, or
approved by the United States Department of Commerce National
Institute of Standards and Technology, shall be the state
primary standards of weights and measures, and shall be
maintained in such calibration as prescribed by the United
States Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards
and Technology or demonstrated through laboratory accreditation
or recognition. Field standards may be prescribed by the
director and shall be verified upon their initial receipt, and
as specified by rule and regulation.
40-10-120. Technical requirements for weighing and
measuring devices.
(a) The specifications, tolerances, and other technical
requirements for commercial, law enforcement, data gathering and
other weighing and measuring devices as adopted by the National
Conference on Weights and Measures and published in the United
States Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards
and Technology Handbook 44, "Specification, Tolerances, and
Other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring
Devices," shall apply to weighing and measuring devices in this
state, and may be amended by rule or regulation.
(b) The Uniform Regulation for National Type Evaluation as
adopted by the National Conference on Weights and Measures and
published in the United States Department of Commerce National
Institute of Standards and Technology Handbook 130, "Uniform
Laws and Regulations," are adopted and shall apply to type
evaluation in this state, and may be amended by rule or
regulation.
40-10-121.
Department of agriculture duties and powers.
(a) The department of agriculture shall perform the
following functions:
(i) Assure that weights and measures in commercial
service within the state are suitable for their intended use,
properly installed and accurate, and are so maintained by their
owner or user;
(ii) Prevent unfair or deceptive dealing by weight or
measure in any commodity or service advertised, packaged, sold
or purchased within this state;
(iii) Promote uniformity, to the extent practicable
and desirable, between weights and measures requirements of this
state and those of other states and federal agencies.
(b) Unless requested by the operator of the weighing or
measuring equipment, the department shall have no authority over
weights and measures used in activities subject to the authority
of the United States department of the interior associated with
on shore oil and gas, the United States federal energy
regulatory commission, the Wyoming public service commission
associated with pipelines and utilities or the Wyoming oil and
gas conservation commission.
(c) Except as otherwise required by law, rule, regulation
or third party agreement, the department shall have no authority
over weights and measures used pursuant to a written agreement
between the parties using the weighing device.
40-10-122.
(a)
Powers and duties of the director.
The director shall:
(i) Maintain traceability of the state standards to
the national standards established by the United States
Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and
Technology as demonstrated through laboratory recognition or
accreditation;
(ii)
Enforce the provisions of this act;
(iii) Issue reasonable rules and regulations for the
enforcement of this act;
(iv) Grant exemptions from the provisions of this act
or any regulations promulgated pursuant thereto when appropriate
for the maintenance of good commercial practices within the
state;
(v) Conduct investigations to ensure compliance with
this act and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to
this act;
(vi) Delegate authority to appropriate personnel as
required for the proper administration and enforcement of this
act;
(vii) Inspect and test in a timely manner, weights
and measures kept, offered or exposed for sale;
(viii) Promulgate rules and regulations regarding
inspecting and testing weights and measures used commercially,
to ascertain if they are correct:
(A) In determining the weight, measure or count
of commodities or things sold, or offered or exposed for sale,
on the basis of weight, measure or count; or
(B) In computing the basic charge or payment for
services rendered on the basis of weight, measure or count.
(ix) Approve for use and mark weights and measures
found to be correct, reject and mark as rejected, condemn and
mark as condemned and make inoperable weights and measures found
to be incorrect. Rejected weights and measures shall be
condemned and made inoperable if not corrected within the time
specified or if used in a manner not specifically authorized;
(x) Weigh, measure or inspect packaged commodities
kept, offered or exposed for sale, sold or in the process of
delivery to determine whether they contain the amounts
represented and whether they are kept, offered or exposed for
sale in accordance with this act or rules and regulations
promulgated pursuant to this act. In carrying out the
provisions of this paragraph, the director shall employ
recognized sampling procedures adopted by National Conference on
Weights and Measures and published in the United States
Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and
Technology Handbook 133, "Checking the Net Contents of Packaged
Goods;"
(xi) Prescribe, by rule and regulation, the
appropriate term, unit of weight or unit of measure to be used,
whenever an existing practice of declaring the quantity by
weight, measure, numerical count, time or combination thereof,
does not facilitate value comparisons by consumers or may lead
to consumer confusion;
(xii) Allow reasonable variations from the stated
quantity of contents, to allow for loss or gain of moisture
during the course of good distribution practice or by
unavoidable deviations in good manufacturing practice only after
the commodity has entered intrastate commerce;
(xiii) Establish labeling requirements, requirements
for the presentation of cost-per-unit information, establish
standards of weight, measure, count and fill for any packaged
commodity and establish requirements for open dating
information;
(xiv)
measures used by
operating within
often thereafter
approve the same
Verify the field standards for weights and
any jurisdiction or registered service person
Wyoming before being put into service, and as
as deemed necessary by the director, and
when found to be correct;
(xv) Provide for registration of persons qualified by
training and experience to install, service and repair weighing
or measuring devices;
(xvi) Provide that only persons who are registered
are authorized to place in service devices which have been
rejected or condemned and repaired or newly installed devices,
whether new or used, until an official inspection by an
authorized inspector is made;
(xvii) Provide for the training of weights and
measures personnel and establish minimum training and
performance requirements, for all weights and measures
personnel, including county, municipal, state or registered
servicepersons;
(xviii) Verify advertised prices, price
representations and point-of-sale systems, as necessary to
determine:
(A) The accuracy of prices and computations and
proper use of the equipment; and
(B) The accuracy of prices printed or recalled
from a database in systems utilizing scanning or coding means in
lieu of manual entry. In carrying out the provisions of this
paragraph, the director shall:
(I) Employ recognized procedures, as
adopted by the National Conference on Weights and Measures and
published in the Untied States Department of Commerce National
Institute of Standards and Technology Handbook 130, "Uniform
Laws and Regulations, Examination Procedures for Price
Verification"; and
(II)
to ensure compliance.
Conduct inspections and investigations
(xix) Establish fees for testing and inspection,
which may include actual hourly cost plus mileage for any
inspections requested other than the routine inspection. The
hourly cost shall be as determined by the director and the
mileage cost shall be as provided by W.S. 9-3-103;
(xx) Establish reasonable laboratory fees for
testing, inspection and calibration of standards or weight and
measuring devices.
(b) The director may allow the licensing, testing,
inspection and reporting requirements of this chapter to be
conducted electronically as provided by the Uniform Electronic
Transaction Act, W.S. 40-21-101 through 40-21-119 and any
applicable federal electronic requirements.
40-10-123.
Special enforcement powers.
(a) When necessary for the enforcement of this act or
rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this act, the
director is:
(i) Authorized to enter any commercial premises open
to the public during normal business hours. If the premises are
not open to the public, he shall obtain consent before making
entry, or obtain a search warrant;
(ii) Empowered to issue stop-use, hold and removal
orders with respect to any weights and measures commercially
used or any packaged commodities or bulk commodities kept,
offered or exposed for sale; and
(iii) Empowered to seize, as evidence, any incorrect
or unapproved weight, measure, package or commodity found to be
used, retained, offered or exposed for sale or sold in violation
of the provisions of this act or rules and regulations
promulgated pursuant to this act;
(iv) Authorized to report the results of
investigations and inspections to the owner or person in charge
by hand delivering, mailing or sending electronically.
40-10-124.
Powers and duties of local officials.
Any weights and measures official appointed for a county or city
shall have the duties and powers enumerated in this act,
excepting those duties reserved to the state by law or
regulation. These powers and duties shall extend to their
respective jurisdictions, except that the jurisdiction of a
county official shall not extend to any city for which a weights
and measures official has been appointed. No requirement set
forth by local agencies may be less stringent than or conflict
with the requirements of the state.
40-10-125.
(a)
Misrepresentation of quantity or pricing.
No person shall:
(i) Sell, offer or expose for sale less than the
quantity represented;
(ii) Take more than the represented quantity when he
furnishes the weight or measure by means of which the quantity
is determined; or
(iii) Represent the quantity in any manner tending to
mislead or deceive another person.
(b) No person shall misrepresent the price of any
commodity offered, exposed or advertised for sale by weight,
measure or count, nor represent the price in any matter tending
to mislead or in any way deceive another person.
40-10-126.
Method of sale.
(a) Except as otherwise provided by the director, or by
firmly established trade custom and practice:
(i) Commodities in liquid form shall be sold by
liquid measure or by weight; and
(ii) Commodities not in liquid form shall be sold by
weight, by measure or by count.
(b) The method of sale shall provide accurate and adequate
quantity information that permits the buyer to make price and
quantity comparisons.
40-10-127. Sale of gasoline and distillates on other than
gross volume basis unlawful; exception; "sale" defined.
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section,
the sale of gasoline and distillates, excluding liquified
petroleum gas, on a temperature corrected basis or on any basis
other than the gross volume of gasoline or distillate actually
delivered is unlawful. Any contract in violation of this section
shall be unenforceable to the extent of the violation.
(b) Sellers of motor fuel within this state shall offer to
prospective purchasers the option to buy the product either by
gross gallons or on the assumption that the temperature of the
product is sixty degrees Fahrenheit (60S F) or the centigrade
equivalent. This purchaser option may be exercised only on an
annual basis and applied only to single deliveries of seven
thousand five hundred (7,500) gallons or more or the metric
equivalent. Any adjustments to volumes during the temperature
compensation process shall be made in accordance with the
standards set by the American Society of Testing Materials.
(c) For purposes of this act, "sale" does not include the
exchange of gasoline or distillate between refiners or
transporters of petroleum or petroleum products.
40-10-128.
Sale from bulk.
(a) Except when the parties agree in advance that a
delivery ticket is not required, all bulk sales in which the
buyer and seller are not both present to witness the measurement
shall be accompanied by a delivery ticket containing the
following information:
(i)
The name and address of the buyer and seller;
(ii)
The date delivered;
(iii) The quantity delivered and the quantity upon
which the price is based, if this differs from the delivered
quantity, such as when temperature compensated sales are made;
(iv) The identity of the product in the most
descriptive terms commercially practicable, including any
quality representation made in connection with the sale; and
(v) The count of individually wrapped packages, for
commodities purchased from bulk, but delivered in packages;
(vi) The unit price, unless all parties agree the
unit price is not required.
40-10-129.
Information required on packages.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this act or by rule or
regulation promulgated pursuant to this act, any package kept
for the purpose of sale or offered or exposed for sale shall
bear on the outside of the package a definite, plain and
conspicuous declaration of:
(i) The identity of the commodity in the package,
unless the same can easily be identified through the wrapper or
container;
(ii) The quantity of contents in terms of weight,
measure or count; and
(iii) The name and place of business of the
manufacturer, packer or distributor, in the case of any package
kept, offered or exposed for sale, or sold in any place other
than on the premises where packed.
40-10-130.
packages.
Declarations of unit price on random weight
In addition to the declarations required by W.S. 40-10-128, any
package in a lot containing random weights of the same commodity
shall include on the outside of the package a plain and
conspicuous declaration of the price per pound or kilogram and
the total selling price of the package, at the time it is
offered or exposed for sale at retail.
40-10-131.
Advertising packages for sale.
Whenever a packaged commodity is advertised with the retail
price stated, there shall be a conspicuous declaration of
quantity on the package.
40-10-132.
(a)
Prohibited acts.
No person shall:
(i) Use or possess any incorrect weight or measure
for use in commerce;
(ii) Sell or offer for sale any incorrect weight or
measure for use in commerce;
(iii) Remove any tag, seal or mark from any weight or
measure or weighing or measuring device, without specific
written authorization from the proper authority;
(iv) Hinder or obstruct any weights and measures
official in the performance of his duties;
(v) Use or possess any weight, measure, weighing or
measuring device that for use in commerce has not been tested
and certified as correct by the department or a registered
service person;
(vi) Place any weight, measure, weighing or measuring
device into commercial service without having a current
certificate of registration as a registered service person; or
(vii) Violate any provision of this act or rules or
regulations promulgated under this act.
40-10-133.
Criminal penalties.
Any person who commits any of the acts enumerated in W.S.
40-10-132 is guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon a first
conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not more than
five hundred dollars ($500.00) or imprisonment for not more than
three (3) months, or both. Upon a subsequent conviction within
any five (5) year period, he shall be punished by a fine of not
less than five hundred dollars ($500.00) nor more than seven
hundred fifty dollars ($750.00) or by imprisonment for up to six
(6) months, or both.
40-10-134.
Restraining order and injunction.
The director is authorized to apply to any court of competent
jurisdiction for a restraining order, or a temporary or
permanent injunction, restraining any person from violating any
provision of this act.
40-10-135.
Presumptive evidence.
Whenever there shall exist a weight or measure or weighing or
measuring device in or about any place in which or from which
buying or selling is commonly carried on, there shall be a
rebuttable presumption that the weight or measure or weighing or
measuring device is regularly used in commerce.
40-10-136.
License required; fee.
(a) Every person who owns or is responsible for a weight,
measure, weighing or measuring device regulated by this act
shall obtain an annual license for each establishment on or
before April 1 from the department and pay a fee as provided in
this subsection. The fees collected by the department under
this section shall be deposited in the general fund.
be set by the department as follows:
Fees shall
(i) Not less than ten dollars ($10.00) nor more than
twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for establishments with no more
than five (5) devices;
(ii) Not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) nor
more than fifty dollars ($50.00) for establishments with more
than five (5) and less than eleven (11) devices;
(iii) Not more than seventy-five dollars ($75.00) for
establishments with eleven (11) or more devices.
(b) The director shall define premise and inspection
locations, including physical addresses and circumstances for
special events.
(c) For purposes of this section, "establishment" means a
place of business under one (1) management at one (1) physical
location.
CHAPTER 11
FOREIGN TRADE ZONES
40-11-101.
Definitions.
As used in this act, the term "public corporation" means the
state of Wyoming, any municipality, county or other political
subdivision thereof, any public agency of this state or any
municipality of one or more other states. The term "act of
congress" means the act of congress, entitled "An act to provide
for the establishment, operation and maintenance of foreign
trade zones in ports of entry of the United States, to expedite
and encourage foreign commerce, and for other purposes", 19
U.S.C. §§ 81a to 81u.
40-11-102. Application by public corporation to establish
and operate zone; designation of agency to apply on behalf of
state.
(a) Any public corporation may make application for the
privilege of establishing, operating and maintaining a foreign
trade zone in accordance with the act of congress and amendments
thereto.
(b) The Wyoming business council is the public entity
designated and authorized to apply, on behalf of the state of
Wyoming, for foreign trade zone authority, sub-zone authority or
port of entry pursuant to the act of congress and regulations
issued pursuant to the act.
(c) The designation of the Wyoming business council to
apply on behalf of the state of Wyoming for foreign trade zone
or sub-zone authority shall not prohibit other public
corporations from applying for foreign trade zone authority
pursuant to the act of congress.
40-11-103.
and operate.
Application by private corporation to establish
Any private corporation organized under the laws of this state
for the purpose of establishing, operating and maintaining a
foreign trade zone in accordance with the act of congress may
make application for the privilege of establishing, operating
and maintaining a foreign trade zone in accordance with the act
of congress.
40-11-104. Establishment and operation by corporation;
conditions and restrictions.
(a) Any public or private corporation authorized by this
chapter to make such application and whose application is
granted pursuant to the terms of the act of congress may
establish, operate, and maintain the foreign trade zone:
(i) Subject to the conditions and restrictions of the
act of congress, and any amendments thereto;
(ii) Under such rules and regulations and for the
period of time that may be prescribed by the board established
by the act of congress to carry out the provisions of the act.
40-11-105. Powers of public corporation to provide
indemnity and deposit money with United States.
(a) If authorized to establish, operate and maintain a
foreign trade zone, a public corporation may, in addition to its
other powers:
(i) It may, for itself, provide for such indemnity or
assurance to the United States or its agencies as they may
request;
(ii) Deposit such sums of money with the United
States as the United States or its agencies may request,
providing such money is available therefor by direct
appropriation or otherwise.
CHAPTER 12
CONSUMER PROTECTION
ARTICLE 1
IN GENERAL
40-12-101.
Short title.
This act may be cited as the "Wyoming Consumer Protection Act."
40-12-102.
(a)
Definitions.
As used in this act:
(i) "Person" means a natural person, corporation,
trust, partnership, incorporated or unincorporated association
or any other legal entity;
(ii) "Consumer transactions" means the advertising,
offering for sale, sale or distribution of any merchandise to an
individual for purposes that are primarily personal, family or
household;
(iii) "Documentary material" means the original or a
copy of any book, record, report, memorandum, paper,
communication, tabulation, map, chart, photograph, mechanical
transcription, other tangible document or recording,
reproductions of information stored magnetically, file layout,
code conversion tables or computer programs to convert file to
readable printout, wherever situated;
(iv) "Examination" of documentary material includes
the inspection, study or copying of any such material, and the
taking of testimony under oath or acknowledgement with respect
to any such documentary material or copy thereof;
(v) "Advertisement" includes the attempt by
publication, dissemination, solicitation or circulation, whether
oral, visual, written or otherwise, and whether in person, by
telephone or by any other means to induce directly or indirectly
any person to enter into any obligation or to acquire any title
or interest in any merchandise;
(vi) "Merchandise" includes any service or any
property, tangible or intangible, real, personal or mixed, or
any other object, ware, good, commodity, or article of value
wherever situated;
(vii) "Enforcing authority" means the attorney
general of Wyoming;
(viii) "Cure" as applied to an unlawful deceptive
trade practice as defined in W.S. 40-12-105 means either:
(A) To offer in writing to adjust or modify the
consumer transaction to which the unlawful deceptive trade
practice relates to conform to the reasonable expectations of
the consumer generated by such unlawful deceptive trade practice
and to perform such offer if accepted by the consumer; or
(B) To offer in writing to rescind such consumer
transaction and to perform such offer if accepted by the
consumer.
(ix) "Uncured unlawful deceptive trade practice"
means an unlawful deceptive trade practice as defined in W.S.
40-12-105:
(A) With respect to which a consumer who has
been damaged by the unlawful deceptive trade practice has given
notice to the alleged violator pursuant to W.S. 40-12-109; and
(B)
Either:
(I) No offer to cure has been made to such
consumer within fifteen (15) days after such notice; or
(II) The unlawful deceptive trade practice
has not been cured as to such consumer within a reasonable time
after his acceptance of the offer to cure.
(x)
40-12-114.
"This act" means W.S. 40-12-101 through
40-12-103.
Unsolicited merchandise.
Unless otherwise agreed, when unsolicited merchandise is
delivered to a person, he has a right to refuse such merchandise
and is not obligated to return such merchandise to the sender.
Such unsolicited merchandise is deemed an unconditional gift to
the recipient, who may use it in any manner without any
obligation to the sender. This section does not apply if there
is evidence that the merchandise has been misdelivered, or if
the delivered merchandise is offered as a good faith
substitution for merchandise previously solicited by the
recipient.
40-12-104.
Home solicitation sales.
(a) For purposes of this section, "home solicitation sale"
means the sale or lease of merchandise, other than farm
equipment, for cash when the cash sales price, whether under a
single sale or multiple sales, exceeds twenty-five dollars
($25.00) and in which the seller or a person acting for him
engages in a personal solicitation of the sale at the residence
of the buyer and the buyer's agreement or offer to purchase is
there given to the seller or a person acting for him. A personal
solicitation of a sale at the residence of the buyer includes
contact with the buyer in person or by telephone. "Home
solicitation sale" does not include:
(i) A sale made pursuant to a preexisting revolving
charge account;
(ii) A sale made subsequent to a personal contact or
a telephone contact at the residence of the buyer but pursuant
to negotiations between the parties at a business establishment
at a fixed location where goods or services are offered or
exhibited for sale;
(iii) A sale made pursuant to a telephone
solicitation when the seller offers a full refund and right of
cancellation for at least ten (10) days after receipt of the
merchandise and the right of refund and cancellation is
communicated during the initial telephone solicitation and is
conspicuously displayed with the merchandise; or
(iv) A sale in which a consumer acquires use of
property under a rental-purchase agreement as defined in W.S.
40-19-102(a)(xi), with an initial period of one (1) week or
less, by placing a telephone call to a merchant and by
requesting that specific property be delivered to the consumer's
residence or such other place as the consumer directs and such
rental-purchase agreement is consummated at the consumer's
residence.
(b) Except as hereinafter provided, in addition to any
right otherwise to revoke an offer, the buyer has the right to
cancel a home solicitation sale until midnight of the third
business day after the day on which the buyer signs an agreement
or offer to purchase which complies with this part. Cancellation
occurs when the buyer gives written notice of cancellation to
the seller at the address stated in the agreement or offer to
purchase. Notice of cancellation, if given by mail, is given
when it is deposited in a mailbox properly addressed and postage
prepaid. Notice of cancellation given by the buyer need not take
a particular form and is sufficient if it indicates by any form
of written expression the intention of the buyer not to be bound
by the home solicitation sale.
(c) The buyer may not cancel a home solicitation sale if
the buyer requests the seller to provide goods or services
without delay because of an emergency and:
(i) The seller in good faith makes a substantial
beginning of performance of the contract before the buyer gives
notice of cancellation; and
(ii) In the case of goods, the goods cannot be
returned to the seller in substantially as good condition as
when received by the buyer.
(d) The period within which cancellation may occur
pursuant to this section shall not commence until the buyer is
furnished a copy of the completed, approved and accepted
contract, is given the name and address to which the notice of
cancellation should be sent and is provided with a written
statement of his right of cancellation. The statement of the
buyer's right of cancellation shall comply with W.S.
40-14-253(b).
(e) Except as hereinafter provided, within ten (10) days
after a home solicitation sale has been cancelled:
(i) The seller must tender to the buyer any payments
made by the buyer and any note or other evidence of
indebtedness;
(ii) If the down payment includes goods traded in,
the goods must be tendered in substantially as good condition as
when received by the seller, and if the seller fails to tender
the goods as provided by this subsection, the buyer may elect to
recover an amount equal to the trade-in allowance stated in the
agreement;
(iii) The seller may retain as a cancellation fee
five percent (5%) of the cash price but not exceeding the amount
of the cash down payment. If the seller fails to comply with an
obligation imposed by this section, or if the buyer voids the
sale on any ground independent of his right to cancel or revokes
his offer to purchase, the seller is not entitled to retain a
cancellation fee;
(iv) Until the seller has complied with the
obligations imposed by this subsection, the buyer may retain
possession of goods delivered to him by the seller and has a
lien on the goods in his possession or control for any recovery
to which he is entitled.
(f) Except as provided under subsection (e) of this
section, within a reasonable time after a home solicitation sale
has been cancelled or an offer to purchase revoked, the buyer
upon demand must tender to the seller any goods delivered by the
seller pursuant to the sale but he is not obligated to tender at
any place other than his residence. If the seller fails to
demand possession of the goods within thirty (30) days after
cancellation or revocation, the goods become the property of the
buyer without obligation to pay for them.
(g) The buyer has a duty to take reasonable care of the
goods in his possession before cancellation or revocation and
for thirty (30) days thereafter, during which time the goods are
otherwise at the seller's risk.
(h) If the seller has performed any services pursuant to a
home solicitation sale prior to its cancellation, the seller is
entitled to no compensation except the cancellation fee provided
in this section.
40-12-105.
Unlawful practices.
(a) A person engages in a deceptive trade practice
unlawful under this act when, in the course of his business and
in connection with a consumer transaction, he knowingly:
(i) Represents that merchandise has a source, origin,
sponsorship, approval, accessories or uses it does not have;
(ii) Represents that he has a sponsorship, approval
or affiliation he does not have;
(iii) Represents that merchandise is of a particular
standard, grade, style or model, if it is not;
(iv) Represents that merchandise is available to the
consumer for a reason that does not exist;
(v) Represents that merchandise has been supplied in
accordance with a previous representation, if it has not; except
that this subsection does not apply to merchandise supplied to
the recipient by mistake or merchandise of equal or greater
value supplied as a reasonably equivalent substitute for
unavailable merchandise previously ordered by the recipient;
(vi)
if it is not;
Represents that replacement or repair is needed,
(vii) Makes false or misleading statements of fact
concerning the price of merchandise or the reason for, existence
of, or amounts of a price reduction;
(viii) Represents that a consumer transaction
involves a warranty, a disclaimer of warranties, particular
warranty terms, or other rights, remedies or obligations if the
representation is false;
(ix) Represents that the consumer will receive a
rebate, discount or other benefit as an inducement for entering
into a consumer transaction in return for giving the supplier
the names of prospective consumers or otherwise helping the
supplier to enter into other consumer transactions, if receipt
of the benefit is contingent upon an event occurring after the
consumer enters into the transaction;
(x) Advertises merchandise with intent not to sell it
as advertised;
(xi) Advertises merchandise with intent not to supply
reasonably expectable public demand, unless the advertisement
discloses the limitation;
(xii) Represents that merchandise is original or new
if he knows that it is deteriorated, damaged, altered,
reconditioned, reclaimed, used or secondhand. For purposes of
this subsection, the terms "original" or "new" include
merchandise previously sold but returned within a reasonable
time by the consumer for full credit if such merchandise is not
damaged or deteriorated;
(xiii) Advertises under the guise of obtaining sales
personnel when in fact the purpose of the advertisement is to
sell merchandise to the sales personnel applicants;
(xiv) Employs "bait and switch" advertising which
consists of an offer to sell merchandise which the seller does
not intend to sell, which advertising is accompanied by one (1)
or more of the following practices:
(A)
Refusal to show the merchandise advertised;
(B) False disparagement in any respect of the
advertised merchandise or the terms of sale;
(C) Requiring undisclosed tie-in sales or other
undisclosed conditions to be met prior to selling the advertised
merchandise;
(D) Knowingly showing or demonstrating defective
merchandise which is unusable or practicable for the purpose set
forth in the advertisement;
(E) Accepting a deposit for the merchandise and
subsequently charging the buyer for a higher priced item without
his consent; or
(F) Willful failure to either make deliveries of
the merchandise or to make a refund therefor.
(xv)
practices;
(xvi)
40-12-106.
Engages in unfair or deceptive acts or
Violates W.S. 40-12-601.
Restraining unlawful practices.
Whenever the enforcing authority has reasonable cause to believe
that any person has engaged in, is engaging in, or is about to
engage in any practice which is unlawful under W.S. 40-12-104 or
40-12-105, and that proceedings would be in the public interest,
he may bring an action in the name of this state against such
person to restrain by temporary restraining order or preliminary
or permanent injunction the use of such practice, upon the
giving of appropriate notice to that person. The notice must
state generally the relief sought and must be served in
accordance with the Wyoming Rules of Civil Procedure. Before
commencing any action, the enforcing authority shall give the
person against whom proceedings are contemplated a reasonable
opportunity to show why proceedings should not be instituted.
The action may be brought in the district court of the county in
which the person resides or has his principal place of business
or in the district court of Laramie county, Wyoming. The
district court may issue temporary restraining orders or
preliminary or permanent injunctions, in accordance with the
principles of equity, to restrain and prevent violations of this
act. The court may make such additional orders or judgments as
are necessary to compensate identifiable persons for actual
damages or restoration of money or property, real or personal,
which may have been acquired by means or any act or practice
restrained. The remedies provided by this section, W.S.
40-12-108 and 40-12-111 shall be the exclusive remedies for
violations of this act.
40-12-107.
Assurances of voluntary compliance.
The enforcing authority may accept written assurance of
voluntary compliance with respect to any practice believed to be
violative of W.S. 40-12-105 from any person who is engaged or is
about to engage in such practice. Such assurance is not
considered an admission of violation for any purpose. Proof of
failure to comply with the assurance of voluntary compliance is
prima facie evidence of a violation of this act. Matters closed
by virtue of the acceptance of an assurance of voluntary
compliance may at any time be reopened by the enforcing
authority for further proceedings in the public interest,
pursuant to W.S. 40-12-106.
40-12-108.
Private remedies.
(a) A person relying upon an uncured unlawful deceptive
trade practice may bring an action under this act for the
damages he has actually suffered as a consumer as a result of
such unlawful deceptive trade practice.
(b) Any person who is entitled to bring an action under
subsection (a) of this section on his own behalf against an
alleged violator of this act for damages for an unlawful
deceptive trade practice may bring a class action against such
person on behalf of any class of persons of which he is a member
and which has been damaged by such unlawful deceptive trade
practice, subject to and pursuant to the Wyoming Rules of Civil
Procedure governing class actions, except as herein expressly
provided. If the court determines that actual damages have been
suffered by reason of the unlawful deceptive trade practice, the
court shall award reasonable attorney's fees to the plaintiffs
in a class action under this subsection, provided that such fees
shall be determined by the amount of time reasonably expended by
the attorney for the plaintiffs and not by the amount of the
judgment. Any monies or property recovered in a class action
under this subsection which cannot, with due diligence, be
restored to consumers within one (1) year after judgment becomes
final shall be returned to the party depositing the same.
40-12-109.
Limitation of actions.
No action may be brought under this act, except under W.S.
40-12-108, unless the consumer bringing the action gives within
the following time limits notice in writing to the alleged
violator of the act, (a) within one (1) year after the initial
discovery of the unlawful deceptive trade practice, (b) within
two (2) years following such consumer transaction, whichever
occurs first, and unless the unlawful deceptive trade practice
becomes an uncured unlawful deceptive trade practice as defined
in this act. The notice required under this section shall state
fully the nature of the alleged unlawful deceptive trade
practice and the actual damage suffered therefrom. No action may
be brought under this act, except under W.S. 40-12-108, unless
said action is initiated within one (1) year after the
furnishing of notice as required under this section.
40-12-110.
(a)
Exemptions.
Nothing in this act shall apply to:
(i) Acts or practices required or permitted by state
or federal law, rule or regulation or judicial or administrative
decision;
(ii) Acts or practices by the publisher, owner, agent
or employee of a newspaper, periodical, radio or television
station or any other person without knowledge of the deceptive
character of the advertisement in the publication or
dissemination of an advertisement supplied by another.
40-12-111. Violations involving older persons or persons
with disabilities; civil penalty.
(a)
As used in this section:
(i) "Person with disabilities" means any person who
has a mental or educational impairment which substantially
limits one (1) or more major life activities;
(ii) "Major life activities" means functions
associated with the normal activities of independent daily
living such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks,
walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and
working;
(iii)
"Mental or educational impairment" means:
(A) Any mental or psychological disorder or
specific learning disability;
(B) Any educational deficiency which
substantially affects a person's ability to read and comprehend
the terms of any contractual agreement entered into.
(iv) "Older person" means a person who is over sixty
(60) years of age.
(b) Any person who willfully uses, or has willfully used,
a method, act or practice in violation of this act which
victimizes or attempts to victimize an older person or a person
with disabilities, and commits such violation when the person
knew or should have known that the conduct was unfair or
deceptive, shall make restitution or reimbursement to the older
person or person with disabilities including reasonable attorney
fees and costs, and, in addition, is liable for a civil penalty
of up to fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000.00) for each
violation recoverable by the office of the attorney general.
40-12-112.
Investigative powers of enforcing authority.
(a) If, by inquiry by the enforcing authority or as a
result of complaints, the enforcing authority has probable cause
to believe that a person has engaged in, or is engaging in, an
act or practice that violates this act, investigators designated
by the Wyoming attorney general may administer oaths and
affirmations, subpoena witnesses or matter, and collect
evidence. Within five (5) days, excluding weekends and legal
holidays, after the service of a subpoena or at any time before
the return date specified therein, whichever is longer, the
party served may file in the district court in the county in
which the party resides or in which the party transacts
business, or in the district court for the first judicial
district of Wyoming, and serve upon the enforcing authority a
petition for an order modifying or setting aside the subpoena.
The petitioner may raise any objection or privilege which would
be available under this act or upon service of a subpoena in a
civil action. The subpoena shall inform the party served of the
party's rights under this subsection.
(b) If matter that the enforcing authority seeks to obtain
by subpoena is located outside the state, the person subpoenaed
may make it available to the enforcing authority to examine the
matter at the place where it is located. The enforcing
authority may designate representatives, including officials of
the state in which the matter is located, to inspect the matter
on its behalf, and the enforcing authority may respond to
similar requests from officials of other states.
(c) Upon failure of a person without lawful excuse to obey
a subpoena and upon reasonable notice to all persons affected,
the enforcing authority may apply to the district court for an
order compelling compliance.
(d) The enforcing authority may request that an individual
who refuses to comply with a subpoena on the ground that
testimony or matter may incriminate the individual, be ordered
by the court to provide the testimony or matter. Except in a
prosecution for perjury, an individual who complies with a court
order to provide testimony or matter after asserting a privilege
against self-incrimination to which the individual is entitled
by law shall not have the testimony or matter so provided, or
evidence derived therefrom, received against the individual in
any criminal investigation or proceeding.
(e) Any person upon whom a subpoena is served pursuant to
this section shall comply with the terms thereof unless
otherwise provided by order of the court. Any person who fails
to appear with the intent to avoid, evade or prevent compliance
in whole or in part with any investigation under this act or who
removes from any place, conceals, withholds, mutilates, alters
or destroys, or by any other means falsifies any documentary
material in the possession, custody or control of any person
subject to the subpoena, or knowingly conceals any relevant
information with the intent to avoid, evade or prevent
compliance is liable for a civil penalty of not more than five
thousand dollars ($5,000.00), reasonable attorney's fees and
costs.
(f) Whenever criminal or civil intelligence, investigative
information or any other information held by any state or
federal agency is available to the enforcing authority on a
confidential or a similarly restricted basis, the enforcing
authority, in the course of the investigation of any violation
of this act, may obtain and use the information. Any
intelligence or investigative information that is confidential
or exempt under W.S. 16-4-201 through 16-4-205 retains its
status as confidential or exempt.
40-12-113.
Civil penalties.
(a) The enforcing authority, upon petition to the court,
may recover, on behalf of the state, a civil penalty of not more
than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) from any person who
violates the terms of a permanent injunction issued under W.S.
40-12-106.
(b) For purposes of this section, the court issuing an
injunction shall retain jurisdiction, and the cause shall be
continued.
(c) Except as provided in W.S. 40-12-111, any person or
agent or employee of the person, who willfully uses, or has
willfully used, a method or act, in violation of this act, is
liable for a civil penalty of not more than ten thousand dollars
($10,000.00) for each violation. Willful violations occur when
the person knew or should have known that the person's conduct
was unfair or deceptive. This civil penalty may be recovered in
any action brought under this act by the enforcing authority or
the enforcing authority may terminate any investigation or
action upon agreement by the person to pay a stipulated civil
penalty. The enforcing authority or the court may waive any
civil penalty if the person has previously made full restitution
or reimbursement or has paid actual damages to the consumers who
have been injured by the unlawful act or practice. If civil
penalties are assessed in any litigation, the enforcing
authority is entitled to reasonable attorney's fees and costs.
40-12-114.
Effect on other remedies.
This act shall not prohibit actions under other statutory or
common-law provisions against conduct or practices similar to
those declared to be unlawful by W.S. 40-12-105. However, the
remedies provided in this act are the exclusive remedies for
actions brought pursuant to this act.
ARTICLE 2
PROMOTIONAL ADVERTISING OF PRIZES
40-12-201.
(a)
Definitions.
As used in this article:
(i) "Prize" means a gift, award or other item or
service of value;
(ii) "Prize notice" means a notice given to an
individual in this state that satisfies all of the following:
(A) Is or contains a representation that the
individual has been selected or may be eligible to receive a
prize;
(B) Conditions receipt of a prize on a payment
from the individual or requires or invites the individual to
make a contact to learn how to receive the prize or to obtain
other information related to the notice.
(iii)
following:
"Prize notice" does not include any of the
(A)
A notice given at the request of the
individual;
(B) A notice informing the individual that he
has been awarded a prize as a result of his actual prior entry
in a game, drawing, sweepstakes or other contest, if the
individual is awarded the prize stated in the notice.
(iv) "Solicitor" means a person who represents to an
individual that the individual has been selected or may be
eligible to receive a prize;
(v) "Sponsor" means a person on whose behalf a
solicitor gives a prize notice;
(vi)
"Verifiable retail value" of a prize means:
(A) A price at which the solicitor or sponsor
can demonstrate that a substantial number of the prizes have
been sold by a person other than the solicitor or sponsor in the
trade area in which the prize notice is given; or
(B) If the solicitor or sponsor is unable to
satisfy subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, no more than one and
five-tenths (1.5) times the amount the solicitor or sponsor paid
for the prize.
40-12-202.
Written prize notice required.
If a solicitor represents to an individual that the individual
has been selected or may be eligible to receive a prize, the
solicitor shall not request, and the solicitor or sponsor shall
not accept, a payment from the individual in any form before the
individual receives a written prize notice that contains all of
the information required under W.S. 40-12-203(a) presented in
the manner required under W.S. 40-12-203(b) through (f).
40-12-203.
Delivery and contents of written prize notices.
(a) A written prize notice shall contain all of the
following information presented in the manner required under
subsections (b) through (f) of this section:
(i)
The name and address of the solicitor and
sponsor;
(ii) The verifiable retail value of each prize the
individual has been selected or may be eligible to receive;
(iii) If the notice lists more than one (1) prize
that the individual has been selected or may be eligible to
receive, a statement of the odds the individual has of receiving
each prize;
(iv) Any requirement or invitation for the individual
to view, hear or attend a sales presentation in order to claim a
prize, the approximate length of the sales presentation and a
detailed description of the property or service that is the
subject of the sales presentation. The description of the
property or service shall include the price of the property or
service, the size of the property, length of the service and any
other information required to make an informed determination as
to the value of the property or service;
(v) Any requirement that the individual pay shipping
or handling fees or any other charges to obtain or use a prize;
(vi) If receipt of the prize is subject to a
restriction, a statement that a restriction applies, a
description of the restriction and a statement containing the
location in the notice where the restriction is described; and
(vii)
Any limitations on eligibility.
(b) The verifiable retail value and the statement of odds
required in a written prize notice under paragraphs (a)(ii) and
(iii) of this section shall be stated in immediate proximity to
each listing of the prize in each place the prize appears on the
written prize notice and shall be in the same size and boldness
of type as the prize, and provided:
(i) The statement of odds shall include, for each
prize, the total number of prizes to be given away and the total
number of written prize notices to be delivered. The number of
prizes and written prize notices shall be stated in Arabic
numerals. The statement of odds shall be in the following form:
".... (number of prizes) out of .... written prizes notices";
and
(ii) The verifiable retail value shall be in the
following form: "verifiable retail value: $....".
(c) If an individual is required to pay shipping or
handling fees or any other charges to obtain or use a prize, the
following statement shall appear in immediate proximity to each
listing of the prize in each place the prize appears in the
written prize notice and shall be in not less than ten (10)
point boldface type: "YOU MUST PAY $.... IN ORDER TO RECEIVE
OR USE THIS ITEM".
(d) The information required in a written prize notice
under paragraph (a)(iv) of this section shall be on the first
page of the written prize notice in not less than ten (10) point
boldface type. The information required under paragraphs
(a)(vi) and (vii) of this section shall be in not less than ten
(10) point boldface type.
(e) If a written prize notice is given by a solicitor on
behalf of a sponsor, the name of the sponsor shall be more
prominently and conspicuously displayed than the name of the
promoter.
(f) A solicitor or sponsor shall not do any of the
following:
(i) Place on an envelope containing a written prize
notice any representation that the person to whom the envelope
is addressed has been selected or may be eligible to receive a
prize;
(ii) Deliver a written prize notice that contains
language, or is designed in a manner, that would lead a
reasonable person to believe that it originates from a
government agency, public utility, insurance company, consumer
reporting agency, debt collector or law firm unless the written
prize notice originates from that source;
(iii) Represent directly or by implication that the
number of individuals eligible for the prize is limited or that
an individual has been selected to receive a particular prize
unless the representation is true.
40-12-204.
Sales presentations.
(a) If a prize notice requires or invites an individual to
view, hear or attend a sales presentation in order to claim a
prize, the sales presentation shall not begin until the
solicitor does all of the following:
(i) Informs the individual of the prize, if any, that
has been awarded to the individual; and
(ii) If the individual has been awarded a prize,
delivers to the individual the prize or the item selected by the
individual under W.S. 40-12-205 if the prize is not available.
40-12-205.
available.
Prize award required; options if prize not
(a) A solicitor who represents to an individual in a
written prize notice that the individual has been awarded a
prize shall provide the prize to the individual unless the prize
is not available. If the prize is not available, the solicitor
shall provide the individual with any one (1) of the following
items selected by the individual:
(i) Any other prize listed in the written prize
notice that is available and that is of equal or greater value;
(ii) The verifiable retail value of the prize in the
form of cash, a money order or a certified check;
(iii) A voucher, certificate or other evidence of
obligation stating that the prize will be shipped to the
individual within thirty (30) days at no cost to the individual.
(b) If a voucher, certificate or other evidence of
obligation delivered under paragraph (a)(iii) of this section is
not honored within thirty (30) days, the solicitor shall deliver
to the individual the verifiable retail value of the prize in
the form of cash, a money order or a certified check. The
sponsor shall make the payment to the individual if the
solicitor fails to do so.
40-12-206.
Penalties.
(a) Except as provided by subsection (b) of this section,
any individual who violates this article is guilty of a
misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than seven hundred
fifty dollars ($750.00), imprisonment for not more than six (6)
months, or both, for each violation.
(b) Whoever intentionally violates this article is guilty
of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than ten
thousand dollars ($10,000.00), imprisonment for not more than
one (1) year, or both. A person intentionally violates this
article if the violation occurs after the attorney general or a
district attorney has notified the person by certified mail that
the person is in violation of this article.
40-12-207.
Enforcement.
(a) The attorney general shall investigate violations of
this article.
(b) The attorney general or any district attorney may on
behalf of the state:
(i) Bring an action for temporary or permanent
injunctive or other relief in any court of competent
jurisdiction for any violation of this article. The court may,
upon entry of final judgment, award restitution when appropriate
to any person suffering loss because of a violation of this
article if proof of the loss is submitted to the satisfaction of
the court;
(ii) Bring an action in any court of competent
jurisdiction for the penalties authorized under W.S. 40-12-206.
40-12-208.
Private action.
(a) In addition to any other remedies, a person suffering
pecuniary loss because of a violation by another person of this
article may bring an action in any court of competent
jurisdiction and shall recover all of the following:
(i) The greater of five hundred dollars ($500.00) or
twice the amount of the pecuniary loss;
(ii)
40-12-209.
Costs and reasonable attorney fees.
Exemptions.
The provisions of this article shall not apply to the sale or
purchase, or solicitation or representation in connection
therewith, of goods from a catalog or of books, recordings,
video cassettes, periodicals and similar goods through a
membership group or club which is regulated by the federal trade
commission through a contractual plan or arrangement such as a
continuity plan, subscription arrangement, or a single sale or
purchase series arrangement under which the seller ships goods
to a consumer who has consented in advance to receive the goods
and the recipient of the goods is given the opportunity, after
examination of the goods, to receive a full refund of charges
for the goods or unused portion thereof, upon return of the
undamaged goods or unused portion of the goods.
ARTICLE 3
TELEPHONE SOLICITATION
40-12-301.
(a)
Definitions.
As used in this article:
(i) "Caller identification service" means a type of
telephone service or system which allows telephone subscribers
to see the telephone numbers from which incoming telephone calls
are dialed;
(ii) "Consumer" means an actual or prospective
purchaser, lessee or recipient of consumer goods or services;
(iii) "Consumer goods or services" means any real
property or any tangible or intangible personal property or any
services which are marketed and intended to be used for
personal, family or household purposes, including, without
limitation, any such property intended to be attached to or
installed in any real property without regard to whether it is
so attached or installed, as well as cemetery lots and timeshare
estates;
(iv) "Doing business in this state" refers to
businesses which conduct telephonic sales calls from a location
in Wyoming or from other states or nations to consumers located
in Wyoming;
(v)
"Enforcing authority" means the Wyoming attorney
general;
(vi) "Established business relationship" means a
prior or existing relationship formed by a voluntary two-way
communication between a seller or telephone solicitor and a
consumer with or without an exchange of consideration, on the
basis of an inquiry, application, purchase or transaction by the
consumer regarding products or services offered by such seller
or telephone solicitor which relationship has not been
previously terminated by either party;
(vii) "Merchant" means a person who, directly or
indirectly, offers or makes available to consumers any consumer
goods or services;
(viii) "National do-not-call list" means the list
maintained by the Telephone Preference Service of the Direct
Marketing Association, Inc., Farmingdale, New York, or its
successor organization;
(ix) "Telephonic sales call" means a call made by a
telephone solicitor to a consumer, for the purpose of soliciting
a sale of any consumer goods or services, for the purpose of
soliciting an extension of credit for consumer goods or
services, or for the purpose of obtaining information that will
or may be used for the direct solicitation of a sale of consumer
goods or services or an extension of credit for such purposes;
(x) "Telephone solicitor" means any natural person,
business entity or a subsidiary or affiliate thereof, doing
business in this state, who makes or causes to be made a
telephonic sales call, including, but not limited to, calls made
by use of automated dialing devices;
(xi) "Unpublished cellular telephone number" means a
cellular telephone number:
(A) That has not been requested by the
subscriber to be published in any telephone directory or any
list of telephone service subscribers; and
(B) Whose prefix or telephone number has been
determined by the public service commission to be primarily for
cellular telephone service.
(xii) "Unsolicited telephonic sales call" means a
telephonic sales call other than a call made:
(A)
In response to an express request of the
person called;
(B) Primarily in connection with an existing
debt or contract, payment or performance of which has not been
completed at the time of the call;
(C) To any person with whom the telephone
solicitor had an established business relationship; or
(D) By a telephone solicitor or merchant making
less than two hundred twenty-five (225) unsolicited calls per
year.
40-12-302.
Telephone solicitations.
(a) Any telephone solicitor or merchant who makes an
unsolicited telephonic sales call to a residential or mobile
telephone number shall disclose at the outset of the
conversation and in a clear and conspicuous manner to the person
receiving the call, the following information:
(i)
The name of the individual caller;
(ii) The identity of the telephone solicitor or
merchant and a telephone number and address at which the
telephone solicitor or merchant may be contacted;
(iii) That the purpose of the call is to sell
consumer goods or services; and
(iv)
The nature of the consumer goods or services.
(b) No telephone solicitor or merchant shall willfully
make or cause to be made any unsolicited telephonic sales call
to any residential, mobile or telephonic paging device telephone
number more than sixty (60) days after the number for that
telephone appears in the national do-not-call list. This
subsection does not apply to any person who calls an actual or
prospective seller or lessor of real property when the call is
made in response to a yard sign or other form of advertisement
placed by the seller or lessor.
(c) No telephone solicitor or merchant who makes an
unsolicited telephonic sales call to the telephone line of a
residential subscriber in this state shall knowingly utilize any
method to block or otherwise circumvent the subscriber's use of
a caller identification service.
(d) No telephone solicitor shall initiate any unsolicited
telephonic sales call to a consumer before the hour of 8 a.m. or
after 8 p.m. local time at the consumer's location.
(e) No telephone solicitor or merchant shall willfully
make or cause to be made any unsolicited telephonic sales call
to any unpublished cellular telephone number.
40-12-303.
Automated sales calls.
(a) No telephone solicitor or merchant shall make or
knowingly allow a telephonic sales call to be made if the call
involves an automated system for the selection or dialing of
telephone numbers or the playing of a recorded message when a
connection is completed to a number called.
(b) Subsection (a) of this section does not prohibit the
use of an automated telephone dialing system with live messages
if:
(i) The calls are made or messages given solely in
response to calls initiated by the persons to whom the automatic
calls or live messages are directed;
(ii) The telephone numbers selected for automatic
dialing have been screened to exclude any telephone subscriber
who is included on the national do-not-call list and any
unlisted telephone number; or
(iii) The call is to a consumer with whom the caller
had an established business relationship.
40-12-304. Investigation of complaints; enforcement;
attorney's fees.
(a) The enforcing authority shall investigate any
complaints received concerning violations of this article. If,
after investigating any complaint, the enforcing authority finds
that there has been a willful violation of this article, the
enforcing authority may bring an action to impose a civil
penalty and to seek other relief, including injunctive relief,
as the court deems appropriate against the telephone solicitor
or merchant. The civil penalty imposed shall be as follows:
(i) For the first violation, not to exceed five
hundred dollars ($500.00);
(ii) For the second violation, not to exceed two
thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00);
(iii) For the third and subsequent violations, not to
exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) per violation.
(b) An action under this section may be brought in the
district court of the county in which the telephone solicitor or
merchant resides or had its principle place of business or in
the district court of Laramie county Wyoming. The civil penalty
provided under this section may be recovered in any action
brought under this article by the enforcing authority, or the
enforcing authority may terminate any investigation or action
upon agreement by the telephone solicitor or merchant to pay a
stipulated civil penalty. The enforcing authority or the court
may waive any civil penalty if the telephone solicitor or
merchant has previously made full restitution or reimbursement
or has paid actual damages to the consumers who have been
injured by the violation.
(c) In any civil litigation resulting from a transaction
involving a violation of this article, the prevailing party,
after judgment in the trial court and exhaustion of all appeals,
if any, shall receive reasonable attorney's fees and costs from
the nonprevailing party.
(d) The remedies provided by this section are not
exclusive and shall not preclude the imposition of any other
relief or criminal penalties provided by law.
(e) It shall be an affirmative defense to an action
brought by an enforcing authority for a violation of W.S.
40-12-302(b) that the person called a consumer listed on the
national do-not-call list as a result of a good faith error.
40-12-305.
process.
Notice of activity and consent to service of
Each telephone solicitor or merchant making unsolicited
telephonic sales calls and doing business in this state shall
file with the attorney general of this state a statement giving
notice of this fact and designating the secretary of state of
this state its agent for service of process, unless a lawful
resident is designated as agent for service of process, for any
alleged violation of this article. The written notice shall
further set forth the intention of the telephone solicitor or
merchant to abide by the provisions of this article. Compliance
with this section shall not subject any telephone solicitor or
merchant to the provisions or consequences of any other statute
of this state.
ARTICLE 4
COMMERCIAL ELECTRONIC MAIL
40-12-401.
(a)
Definitions.
As used in this article:
(i) "Assist the transmission" means actions taken by
a person to provide substantial assistance or support which
enables any person to formulate, compose, send, originate,
initiate or transmit a commercial electronic mail message when
the person providing the assistance knows or consciously avoids
knowing that the initiator of the commercial electronic mail
message is engaged or intends to engage in any practice that
violates this article;
(ii) "Commercial electronic mail message" means an
electronic mail message sent for the purpose of promoting real
property, goods or services for sale or lease. It does not mean
an electronic mail message to which an interactive computer
service provider has attached an advertisement in exchange for
free use of an electronic mail account, when the sender has
agreed to such an arrangement;
(iii) "Electronic mail address" means a destination,
commonly expressed as a string of characters, to which
electronic mail may be sent or delivered;
(iv)
"Enforcing authority" means the Wyoming attorney
general;
(v) "Initiate the transmission" refers to the action
by the original sender of an electronic mail message, not to the
action by any intervening interactive computer service that may
handle or retransmit the message, unless such intervening
interactive computer service assists in the transmission of an
electronic mail message when it knows or consciously avoids
knowing that the person initiating the transmission is engaged
or intends to engage in any act or practice that violates this
article;
(vi) "Interactive computer service" means any
information service, system or access software provider that
provides or enables computer access by multiple users to a
computer server, including specifically a service or system that
provides access to the internet and such systems operated or
services offered by libraries or educational institutions;
(vii) "Internet domain name" refers to a globally
unique, hierarchical reference to an internet host or service,
assigned through centralized internet naming authorities,
comprising a series of character strings separated by periods,
with the right-most string specifying the top of the hierarchy;
(viii) "Service provider" means an entity offering
the transmission, routing or providing of connections for
digital online communications between or among points specified
by a user, of material of the user's choosing, without
modification to the content of the material sent or received.
40-12-402. Sending unpermitted or misleading electronic
mail prohibited.
(a) No person may initiate the transmission, conspire with
another to initiate the transmission or assist the transmission
of a commercial electronic mail message from a computer located
in Wyoming or to an electronic mail address that the sender
knows or has reason to know is held by a Wyoming resident, or to
an address that the sender knows or has reason to know is
located in a state or other jurisdiction with laws similar to
this state's laws regarding commercial electronic mail, that:
(i) Uses a third party's internet domain name without
permission of the third party, or otherwise misrepresents or
obscures any information in identifying the point of origin or
the transmission path of a commercial electronic mail message;
or
(ii)
subject line.
Contains false or misleading information in the
(b) For purposes of this section, a person knows that the
intended recipient of a commercial electronic mail message is a
Wyoming resident if that information is available, upon request,
from the registrant of the internet domain name contained in the
recipient's electronic mail address.
(c) For purposes of this article, a service provider does
not assist in the transmission of a commercial electronic mail
message in violation of this article if:
(i) The activity which violates this article was not
directed by the service provider or its agent;
(ii) The service provider does not receive a
financial benefit directly attributable to the violation of this
article by one (1) of its customers; and
(iii) The service provider does not provide the
equipment or complete management of systems found to have an
open mail relay.
40-12-403. Investigation of complaints; enforcement;
attorney's fees.
(a) The enforcing authority shall investigate any
complaints received concerning violations of this article. If,
after investigating any complaint, the enforcing authority finds
that there has been a violation of this article, the enforcing
authority may bring an action to impose a civil penalty and to
seek other relief, including injunctive relief. The civil
penalty imposed shall be as follows:
(i) For the first violation, not to exceed five
hundred dollars ($500.00);
(ii) For the second violation, not to exceed two
thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00);
(iii) For the third and subsequent violations, not to
exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) per violation.
(b) An action under this section may be brought in the
district court of the county in which a commercial electronic
mail message that violates this article has been received or in
the district court of Laramie county, Wyoming. The civil penalty
provided under this section may be recovered in any action
brought under this article by the enforcing authority, or the
enforcing authority may terminate any investigation or action
upon agreement with the person violating this article to pay a
stipulated civil penalty.
(c) In any civil litigation resulting from a transaction
involving a violation of this article, the prevailing party,
after judgment in the trial court and exhaustion of all appeals,
if any, shall receive reasonable attorney's fees and costs from
the nonprevailing party.
(d) The remedies provided by this section are not
exclusive and shall not preclude the imposition of any other
relief or criminal penalties provided by law.
40-12-404. Immunity from liability for blocking of
commercial electronic mail by interactive computer service.
(a) An interactive computer service may, upon its own
initiative, block the receipt or transmission through its
service of any commercial electronic mail that it reasonably
believes is, or will be, sent in violation of this article.
(b) No interactive computer service may be held liable for
any action voluntarily taken in good faith to block the receipt
or transmission through its service of any commercial electronic
mail which it reasonably believes is, or will be, sent in
violation of this article.
ARTICLE 5
CREDIT FREEZE REPORTS
40-12-501.
(a)
Definitions.
As used in this act:
(i) "Breach of the security of the data system" means
unauthorized acquisition of computerized data that materially
compromises the security, confidentiality or integrity of
personal identifying information maintained by a person or
business and causes or is reasonably believed to cause loss or
injury to a resident of this state. Good faith acquisition of
personal identifying information by an employee or agent of a
person or business for the purposes of the person or business is
not a breach of the security of the data system, provided that
the personal identifying information is not used or subject to
further unauthorized disclosure;
(ii) "Consumer" means any person who is utilizing or
seeking credit for personal, family or household purposes;
(iii) "Consumer reporting agency" means
whose business is the assembling and evaluating of
as to the credit standing and credit worthiness of
for the purposes of furnishing credit reports, for
and dues to third parties;
any person
information
a consumer,
monetary fees
(iv) "Credit report" means any written or oral
report, recommendation or representation of a consumer reporting
agency as to the credit worthiness, credit standing or credit
capacity of any consumer and includes any information which is
sought or given for the purpose of serving as the basis for
determining eligibility for credit to be used primarily for
personal, family or household purposes;
(v) "Creditor" means the lender of money or vendor of
goods, services or property, including a lessor under a lease
intended as a security, rights or privileges, for which payment
is arranged through a credit transaction, or any successor to
the right, title or interest of any such lender or vendor, and
an affiliate, associate or subsidiary of any of them or any
director, officer or employee of any of them or any other person
in any way associated with any of them;
(vi) "Financial institution" means any person
licensed or chartered under the laws of any state or the United
States as a bank holding company, bank, savings and loan
association, credit union, trust company or subsidiary thereof
doing business in this state;
(vii) "Personal identifying information" means the
first name or first initial and last name of a person in
combination with one (1) or more of the data elements specified
in W.S. 6-3-901(b)(iii) through (xiv), when the data elements
are not redacted.
(A)
Repealed by Laws 2015, ch. 63, § 2.
(B)
Repealed by Laws 2015, ch. 63, § 2.
(C)
Repealed by Laws 2015, ch. 63, § 2.
(D)
Repealed by Laws 2015, ch. 63, § 2.
(E)
Repealed by Laws 2015, ch. 63, § 2.
(viii) "Redact" means alteration or truncation of
data such that no more than five (5) digits of the data elements
provided in subparagraphs (vii)(A) through (D) of this
subsection are accessible as part of the personal information;
(ix) "Security freeze" means a notice placed in a
consumer's credit report, at the request of the consumer, that
prohibits the credit rating agency from releasing the consumer's
credit report or any information from it relating to an
extension of credit or the opening of a new account, without the
express authorization of the consumer;
(x)
"Substitute notice" means:
(A) An electronic mail notice when the person or
business has an electronic mail address for the subject persons;
(B) Conspicuous posting of the notice on the
website page of the person or business if the person or business
maintains one; and
(C)
Publication in applicable local or statewide
media.
(xi)
40-12-511.
"This act" means W.S. 40-12-501 through
(b) "Personal identifying information" as defined in
paragraph (a)(vii) of this section does not include information,
regardless of its source, contained in any federal, state or
local government records or in widely distributed media that are
lawfully made available to the general public.
40-12-502.
persons.
Computer security breach; notice to affected
(a) An individual or commercial entity that conducts
business in Wyoming and that owns or licenses computerized data
that includes personal identifying information about a resident
of Wyoming shall, when it becomes aware of a breach of the
security of the system, conduct in good faith a reasonable and
prompt investigation to determine the likelihood that personal
identifying information has been or will be misused. If the
investigation determines that the misuse of personal identifying
information about a Wyoming resident has occurred or is
reasonably likely to occur, the individual or the commercial
entity shall give notice as soon as possible to the affected
Wyoming resident. Notice shall be made in the most expedient
time possible and without unreasonable delay, consistent with
the legitimate needs of law enforcement and consistent with any
measures necessary to determine the scope of the breach and to
restore the reasonable integrity of the computerized data
system.
(b) The notification required by this section may be
delayed if a law enforcement agency determines in writing that
the notification may seriously impede a criminal investigation.
(c) Any financial institution as defined in 15 U.S.C. 6809
or federal credit union as defined by 12 U.S.C. 1752 that
maintains notification procedures subject to the requirements of
15 U.S.C. 6801(b)(3) and 12 C.F.R. Part 364 Appendix B or Part
748 Appendix B, is deemed to be in compliance with this section
if the financial institution notifies affected Wyoming customers
in compliance with the requirements of 15 U.S.C. 6801 through
6809 and 12 C.F.R. Part 364 Appendix B or Part 748 Appendix B.
(d) For purposes of this section, notice to consumers may
be provided by one (1) of the following methods:
(i)
Written notice;
(ii)
(iii)
Electronic mail notice;
Substitute notice, if the person demonstrates:
(A) That the cost of providing notice would
exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) for Wyoming-based
persons or businesses, and two hundred fifty thousand dollars
($250,000.00) for all other businesses operating but not based
in Wyoming;
(B) That the affected class of subject persons
to be notified exceeds ten thousand (10,000) for Wyoming-based
persons or businesses and five hundred thousand (500,000) for
all other businesses operating but not based in Wyoming; or
(C)
The person does not have sufficient contact
information.
(iv)
following:
Substitute notice shall consist of all of the
(A) Conspicuous posting of the notice on the
Internet, the World Wide Web or a similar proprietary or common
carrier electronic system site of the person collecting the
data, if the person maintains a public Internet, the World Wide
Web or a similar proprietary or common carrier electronic system
site; and
(B) Notification to major statewide media. The
notice to media shall include a toll-free phone number where an
individual can learn whether or not that individual's personal
data is included in the security breach.
(e) Notice required under subsection (a) of this section
shall be clear and conspicuous and shall include, at a minimum:
(i)
A toll-free number:
(A) That the individual may use to contact the
person collecting the data, or his agent; and
(B) From which the individual may learn the
toll-free contact telephone numbers and addresses for the major
credit reporting agencies.
(ii) The types of personal identifying information
that were or are reasonably believed to have been the subject of
the breach;
(iii)
A general description of the breach incident;
(iv) The approximate date of the breach of security,
if that information is reasonably possible to determine at the
time notice is provided;
(v) In general terms, the actions taken by the
individual or commercial entity to protect the system containing
the personal identifying information from further breaches;
(vi) Advice that directs the person to remain
vigilant by reviewing account statements and monitoring credit
reports;
(vii) Whether notification was delayed as a result of
a law enforcement investigation, if that information is
reasonably possible to determine at the time the notice is
provided.
(f) The attorney general may bring an action in law or
equity to address any violation of this section and for other
relief that may be appropriate to ensure proper compliance with
this section, to recover damages, or both. The provisions of
this section are not exclusive and do not relieve an individual
or a commercial entity subject to this section from compliance
with all other applicable provisions of law.
(g) Any person who maintains computerized data that
includes personal identifying information on behalf of another
business entity shall disclose to the business entity for which
the information is maintained any breach of the security of the
system as soon as practicable following the determination that
personal identifying information was, or is reasonably believed
to have been, acquired by an unauthorized person. The person
who maintains the data on behalf of another business entity and
the business entity on whose behalf the data is maintained may
agree which person or entity will provide any required notice as
provided in subsection (a) of this section, provided only a
single notice for each breach of the security of the system
shall be required. If agreement regarding notification cannot
be reached, the person who has the direct business relationship
with the resident of this state shall provide notice subject to
the provisions of subsection (a) of this section.
(h) A covered entity or business associate that is subject
to and complies with the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act, and the regulations promulgated under that
act, 45 C.F.R. Parts 160 and 164, is deemed to be in compliance
with this section if the covered entity or business associate
notifies affected Wyoming customers or entities in compliance
with the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act and 45 C.F.R. Parts 160 and 164.
40-12-503.
Security freeze.
(a) Except as provided in W.S. 40-12-505, a consumer may
place a security freeze on the consumer's credit report by:
(i) Making a request to a consumer reporting agency
in writing by certified mail; and
(ii)
Providing proper identification.
(b) If a security freeze is in place, a consumer reporting
agency may not release a consumer's credit report or information
derived from the credit report to a third party that intends to
use the information to determine a consumer's eligibility for
credit or the opening of a new account without prior
authorization from the consumer.
(c) Notwithstanding subsection (b) of this section, a
consumer reporting agency may communicate to a third party
requesting a consumer's credit report that a security freeze is
in effect on the consumer's credit report. If a third party
requesting a consumer's credit report in connection with the
consumer's application for credit is notified of the existence
of a security freeze under this subsection, the third party may
treat the consumer's application as incomplete.
(d) Upon receiving a request from a consumer under
subsection (a) of this section, the consumer reporting agency
shall:
(i) Place a security freeze on the consumer's credit
report within five (5) business days after receiving the
consumer's request;
(ii) Send a written confirmation of the security
freeze to the consumer within ten (10) business days after
placing the security freeze; and
(iii) Provide the consumer with a unique personal
identification number or password to be used by the consumer
when providing authorizations for removal or temporary lift of
the security freeze.
(e) A consumer reporting agency shall require proper
identification of the consumer requesting to place, remove, or
temporarily lift a security freeze.
(f) A consumer reporting agency shall develop a contact
method to receive and process a consumer's request to place,
remove or temporarily lift a security freeze. The contact
method shall include:
(i)
A postal address;
(ii) An electronic contact method chosen by the
consumer reporting agency, which may include the use of fax,
Internet or other electronic means; and
(iii) The use of telephone in a manner that is
consistent with any federal requirements placed on the consumer
reporting agency.
(g) A security freeze placed under this section may be
removed or temporarily lifted only in accordance with W.S.
40-12-504.
40-12-504. Permanent removal or temporary lift of security
freeze; requirements and timing.
(a) A consumer reporting agency may remove a security
freeze from a consumer's credit report only if:
(i) The consumer makes a material misrepresentation
of fact in connection with the placement of the security freeze
and the consumer reporting agency notifies the consumer in
writing before removing the security freeze; or
(ii) The consumer reporting agency receives the
consumer's request through a contact method established and
required in accordance with W.S. 40-12-503(f) and the consumer
reporting agency receives the consumer's proper identification
and other information sufficient to identify the consumer
including the consumer's personal identification number or
password.
(b) A consumer reporting agency shall temporarily lift a
security freeze upon receipt of:
(i) The consumer's request through the contact method
established by the consumer reporting agency;
(ii) The consumer's proper identification and other
information sufficient to identify the consumer including the
consumer's personal identification number or password;
(iii) A specific designation of the period of time
for which the security freeze is to be lifted; and
(iv) The consumer reporting agency receives the
payment of any fee required under W.S. 40-12-506.
(c) A consumer reporting agency shall temporarily lift a
security freeze from a consumer's credit report within:
(i) Three (3) business days after the business day on
which the consumer's request to temporarily lift the security
freeze is received by the consumer reporting agency through the
contact method developed by the consumer reporting agency as
required under W.S. 40-15-503(f); or
(ii) On or after September 1, 2008, within fifteen
(15) minutes after the consumer's request is received by the
consumer reporting agency through the electronic contact method
developed by the consumer reporting agency as required under
W.S. 40-12-503(f) or the use of telephone, during normal
business hours and includes the consumer's proper identification
and correct personal identification number or password.
(d) A consumer reporting agency shall permanently remove a
security freeze from a consumer's credit report within three (3)
business days after the business day on which the consumer's
request is received by the consumer reporting agency through the
contact method developed by the agency to receive such requests
as required under W.S. 40-12-503(f).
(e) A consumer reporting agency need not temporarily lift
a security freeze within the time provided in subsection (c) of
this section if:
(i) The consumer fails to meet the requirements of
subsection (b) of this section; or
(ii) The consumer reporting agency's ability to
temporarily lift the security freeze within fifteen (15) minutes
is prevented by:
(A) An act of God, including fire, earthquakes,
hurricanes, storms or similar natural disaster or phenomena;
(B) Unauthorized or illegal acts by a third
party, including terrorism, sabotage, riot, vandalism, labor
strikes or disputes disrupting operations or similar occurrence;
(C) Operational interruption, including
electrical failure, unanticipated delay in equipment or
replacement part delivery, computer hardware or software
failures inhibiting response time or similar disruption;
(D) Governmental action, including emergency
orders or regulations, judicial or law enforcement action or
similar directives;
(E) Regularly scheduled maintenance, during
other than normal business hours, of, or updates to, the
consumer reporting agency's systems;
(F) Commercially reasonable maintenance of, or
repair to, the consumer reporting agency's systems that is
unexpected or unscheduled; or
(G) Receipt of a removal request outside of
normal business hours.
40-12-505.
Exceptions.
(a) Notwithstanding W.S. 40-12-503, a consumer reporting
agency may furnish a consumer's credit report to a third party
if:
(i)
The purpose of the credit report is to:
(A) Use the credit report for purposes permitted
under 15 U.S.C. § 1681b(c);
(B) Review the consumer's account with the third
party, including for account maintenance or monitoring, credit
line increases or other upgrades or enhancements;
(C) Collect on a financial obligation owed by
the consumer to the third party requesting the credit report;
(D) Collect on a financial obligation owed by
the consumer to another person; or
(E) The third party requesting the credit report
is a subsidiary, affiliate, agent, assignee or prospective
assignee of the person holding the consumer's account or to whom
the consumer owes a financial obligation.
(b) The consumer's request for a security freeze does not
prohibit the consumer reporting agency from disclosing the
consumer's credit report for other than credit related purposes
consistent with the definition of credit report in W.S.
40-12-501(a).
(c) The following types of credit report disclosures by
consumer reporting agencies to third parties are not prohibited
by a security freeze:
(i) The third party does not use the credit report
for the purpose of serving as a factor in establishing a
consumer's eligibility for credit;
(ii) The release is pursuant to a court order,
warrant or subpoena requiring release of the credit report by
the consumer reporting agency;
(iii) The third party is a child support agency, or
its agent or assignee, acting under Part D, Title IV of the
Social Security Act or a similar state law;
(iv) The third party is the federal department of
health and human services or a similar state agency, or its
agent or assignee, investigating Medicare or Medicaid fraud;
(v) The purpose of the credit report is to
investigate or collect delinquent taxes, assessments or unpaid
court orders and the third party is:
(A)
The federal internal revenue service;
(B)
A state taxing authority;
(C)
of motor vehicles;
The department of transportation, division
(D)
taxing authority;
A county, municipality, or other entity with
(E)
agency; or
A federal, state or local law enforcement
(F)
in this paragraph.
The agent or assignee of any entity listed
(vi) The third party is administering a credit file
monitoring subscription to which the consumer has subscribed;
or
(vii) The third party requests the credit report for
the sole purpose of providing the consumer with a copy of the
consumer's credit report or credit score upon the consumer's
request.
(d) The security freeze provisions of W.S. 40-12-503 do
not apply to:
(i) A consumer reporting agency, the sole purpose of
which is to resell credit information by assembling and merging
information contained in the database of another consumer
reporting agency and that does not maintain a permanent database
of credit information from which a consumer's credit report is
produced;
(ii) A deposit account information service company
that issues reports concerning account closures based on fraud,
substantial overdrafts, automated teller machine abuse or
similar information concerning a consumer to a requesting
financial institution for the purpose of evaluating a consumer's
request to create a deposit account;
(iii) A check services or fraud prevention services
company that issues:
(A)
Reports on incidents of fraud; or
(B) Authorizations for the purpose of approving
or processing negotiable instruments, electronic funds transfers
or similar methods of payment.
(iv) A consumer reporting agency, with respect to its
database of files that consist entirely of public records and is
used solely for one (1) or more of the following:
(A)
Criminal record information;
(B)
Tenant screening;
(C)
Employment screening; or
(D)
Fraud prevention or detection.
(v) A database or file which consists solely of
information adverse to the interests of the consumer including,
but not limited to, criminal record information which is used
for fraud prevention or detection, tenant screening, employment
screening or any purpose permitted by the Fair Credit Reporting
Act, 15 U.S.C. 1681b;
(vi) A person to the extent the person offers fraud
prevention services which provide reports on incidents of fraud
or reports used primarily in the detection or prevention of
fraud; or
(vii) Setting or adjusting of a rate, adjusting a
claim or underwriting for insurance purposes.
(e) Nothing in this article prohibits a person from
obtaining, aggregating or using information lawfully obtained
from public records in a manner that does not otherwise violate
this article.
40-12-506.
Fees for security freeze.
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section,
a consumer reporting agency may charge a reasonable fee not to
exceed ten dollars ($10.00) to a consumer for each placing,
temporary lifting or removing of a security freeze.
(b) A consumer reporting agency may not charge a fee for
placing, temporarily lifting or removing a security freeze if:
(i) The consumer is a victim of identity theft as
defined by W.S. 6-3-901; and
(ii) The consumer provides the consumer reporting
agency with a valid copy of a police report or police case
number documenting the identity fraud.
40-12-507. Changes to information in a credit report
subject to a security freeze.
(a) If a credit report is subject to a security freeze, a
consumer reporting agency shall notify the consumer who is the
subject of the credit report within thirty (30) days if the
consumer reporting agency changes their information concerning
the consumer's:
(i)
Name;
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
Date of birth;
Social security number; or
Address.
(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, a
consumer reporting agency may make technical modifications to
information in a credit report that is subject to a security
freeze without providing notification to the consumer.
Technical modifications under this subsection include:
(i) The addition or subtraction of abbreviations to
names and addresses; and
(ii) Transpositions or corrections of incorrect
numbering or spelling.
(c) When providing notice of a change of address under
subsection (a) of this section, the consumer reporting agency
shall provide notice to the consumer at both the new address and
the former address.
40-12-508.
Violations; penalties.
(a) If a consumer reporting agency intentionally or
negligently violates a valid security freeze by releasing credit
information that has been placed under a security freeze, the
affected consumer is entitled to:
(i) Notification within five (5) business days
following the agency's discovery, or notification from another
source, of the release of the information. The notification
under this paragraph shall include specificity as to the
information released and the third party recipient of the
information;
(ii) Notification that the consumer may file a
complaint with the federal trade commission and the state
attorney general.
(b) If a consumer reporting agency intentionally or
negligently violates a valid security freeze by releasing credit
information that has been placed under a security freeze and
fails to take steps to correct the release and fails to give the
notification required under subsection (a) of this section, the
affected consumer is entitled to, in a civil action against the
consumer reporting agency, recover:
(i) Injunctive relief to prevent or restrain further
violation of the security freeze;
(ii) A civil penalty in an amount not to exceed one
thousand dollars ($1,000.00) plus any damages available under
other civil laws; and
(iii) Reasonable expenses, court costs, investigative
costs and attorney's fees.
(c) Each violation of the security freeze shall be counted
as a separate incident for purposes of imposing penalties under
this section.
40-12-509.
theft.
Factual declaration of innocence after identity
(a) A person who reasonably believes that he or she is the
victim of identity theft as defined by W.S. 6-3-901 may petition
a court, or the court, on its own motion or upon application of
the prosecuting attorney, may move for an expedited judicial
determination of his or her factual innocence, where the
perpetrator of the identity theft was arrested for, cited for or
convicted of a crime under the victim's identity, or where a
criminal complaint has been filed against the perpetrator in the
victim's name, or where the victim's identity has been
mistakenly associated with a record of criminal conviction. Any
judicial determination of factual innocence made pursuant to
this section may be heard and determined upon declarations,
affidavits, police reports or other material, relevant and
reliable information submitted by the parties or ordered to be
part of the record by the court. Where the court determines that
the petition or motion is meritorious and that there is no
reasonable cause to believe that the victim committed the
offense for which the perpetrator of the identity theft was
arrested, cited, convicted or subject to a criminal complaint in
the victim's name, or that the victim's identity has been
mistakenly associated with a record of criminal conviction, the
court shall find the victim factually innocent of that offense.
If the victim is found factually innocent, the court shall issue
an order certifying this determination.
(b) After a court has issued a determination of factual
innocence pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the court
may order the name and associated personal identifying
information contained in court records, files and indexes
accessible by the public deleted, sealed or labeled to show that
the data is impersonated and does not reflect the defendant's
identity.
(c) Upon making a determination of factual innocence, the
court shall provide the consumer written documentation of the
order.
(d) A court that has issued a determination of factual
innocence pursuant to this section may at any time vacate that
determination if the petition, or any information submitted in
support of the petition, is found to contain any material
misrepresentation or fraud.
(e) The supreme court shall develop a form for use in
issuing an order pursuant to this section.
(f) The attorney general shall establish and maintain a
data base of individuals who have been victims of identity theft
and that have received determinations of factual innocence. The
attorney general shall provide a victim of identity theft or his
authorized representative access to the database in order to
establish that the individual has been a victim of identity
theft. Access to the database shall be limited to criminal
justice agencies, victims of identity theft and individuals and
agencies authorized by the victims.
(g) The attorney general shall establish and maintain a
toll free number to provide access to information under
subsection (f) of this section.
(h) In order for a victim of identity theft to be included
in the database established pursuant to subsection (f) of this
section, he shall submit to the attorney general a court order
obtained pursuant to this section, a full set of fingerprints
and any other information prescribed by the attorney general.
(j) Upon receiving information pursuant to subsection (h)
of this section, the attorney general shall verify the identity
of the victim against any driver's license or other
identification record maintained by the department of
transportation, division of motor vehicles.
ARTICLE 6
USE OF ARREST PHOTOGRAPHS
40-12-601.
penalty.
Unauthorized use of arrest photographs;
(a) A person who operates a website that disseminates
photographic records of arrested individuals made by law
enforcement agencies as part of routinely documenting an arrest
and who charges individuals to remove their photographs shall
remove any photograph and related name and personal information
from all websites owned or controlled by that person without
charging a fee within thirty (30) days of the date of a request
to remove the photograph and information if the request:
(i)
Is made in writing; and
(ii) Contains written documentation that all charges
stemming from the arrest for which the photograph was made:
(A) Were resolved through acquittal or otherwise
without a conviction; or
(B) Following conviction, were expunged or set
aside pursuant to court order.
(b) For purposes of this section, paper or electronic
copies of official court records or law enforcement records
constitute written documentation.
(c) A person who violates subsection (a) of this section
commits an unlawful practice under W.S. 40-12-105.
CHAPTER 13
COPYRIGHTED MUSIC
ARTICLE 1
PROTECTION OF COPYRIGHT USERS
40-13-101.
Short title.
This act may be cited as the "Protection of Copyright Users
Act".
40-13-102.
Definitions.
(a) The following words, terms and phrases, when used in
this act, shall have the meaning ascribed in this section,
except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
(i) "Blanket license" includes any device or contract
whereby public performance of musical compositions for profit is
authorized of combined copyrights of two (2) or more owners;
(ii) "Blanket royalty or fee" includes any device or
contract whereby prices for performing rights of musical
compositions are not based upon the performance of individual
copyrights;
(iii) "Composition" includes any and all musical,
instrumental or vocal, compositions, which may be transcribed
and reproduced by mechanical, electronic, magnetic means or
devices, or any method now known or later developed;
(iv) "Copyright" means the exclusive rights and
privileges provided for under the constitution of the United
States and federal copyright laws;
(v) "Music licensing agency" means and includes any
person, corporation or any association, society, partnership,
union, or other organization of two (2) or more copyright owners
or proprietors, which has or claims the exclusive or
nonexclusive authority to issue, grant or to contract for,
performing rights licenses for two (2) or more copyright owners.
When two (2) or more copyright owners or proprietors are
represented by the same agent or representative, this agent or
representative shall be deemed to be a "music licensing agency";
(vi) "Performing rights" means "public performance
for profit" of musical compositions;
(vii) "Person" means any individual, resident or
nonresident of this state, and every domestic or foreign or
alien partnership, society, association, corporation, or other
organization;
(viii) "User" means any person, who, directly or
indirectly, performs, or causes to be performed, musical
compositions for profit.
40-13-103.
Licensing requirements.
(a) No music licensing agency and no copyright owner who
is a member of such music licensing agency or who licenses the
performing rights to his music through a music licensing agency
shall license the use of, or in any manner whatsoever dispose
of, in this state, the performing rights in or to any musical
composition which has been copyrighted, and is the subject of a
valid existing copyright under the laws of the United States or
collect any compensation on account of any sale, license or
other disposition, unless such music licensing agency and each
copyright owner shall:
(i) File annually with the secretary of state in
duplicate a certified copy of each performing rights contract or
license agreement made available from such music licensing
agency or copyright owner to any user within the state;
(ii) Issue, upon request, licenses of performing
rights of the compositions in the repertory of the music
licensing agency to a radio broadcasting network, telecasting
network or music service, on terms which authorize the
simultaneous and delayed performance by broadcasting or
telecasting or simultaneous performance by music service as the
case may be, by some or all of the stations in this state
affiliated with such radio or television network or by some or
all subscriber outlets in this state affiliated with any music
service without requiring a separate license for such station or
subscriber for such performance.
40-13-104.
Discrimination prohibited.
All groups and persons affected by this act are prohibited from
discriminating against the citizens of this state by charging
higher and more inequitable rates for music licenses in this
state than in other states.
40-13-105.
Licenses and fees; choices.
The licenses and fees made available pursuant to this article
shall provide users with genuine economic choices between the
various licenses and fees provided for application within the
state of Wyoming.
40-13-106.
fee.
Time for filing contracts and licenses; filing
The contracts and licenses required by this article shall be
filed with the secretary of state. A filing fee of five dollars
($5.00) shall be paid to the secretary of state at the time of
each filing.
40-13-107.
Blanket license fees.
Charges and fees under any blanket license for a blanket royalty
or fee shall be valid and enforceable only to the extent that
the music licensing agency shall have complied with the
provisions of this act.
40-13-108. Doing business defined; amenability to process;
service on nonresidents.
(a) All persons, groups, corporations, associations,
foreign or domestic, subject to this act shall be deemed to be
doing business within this state and amenable to the process of
the courts of the state of Wyoming when:
(i) Any such persons, combinations or groups have
been issued licenses, either from within or from without the
state, for the privilege of using commercially and publicly any
copyrighted work or works pooled in a common group or entity;
(ii) When any of the functions of the entity,
organization, pool or combines, have been performed in this
state.
(b) If such owners of copyrights comply with the
provisions of this act they shall be granted the privilege of
conducting business within this state in a legal manner, and may
invoke the benefits of the state government and its political
subdivisions in their behalf, using all of the privileges
available to the citizens of this state. Use of such privileges
shall be deemed to be an acceptance of the provisions of this
act.
(c) The acceptance by such persons of the rights and
privileges conferred by the law of this state to any of its
citizens shall be deemed equivalent to and construed to be an
appointment by such nonresidents of the secretary of state of
the state of Wyoming to be their true and lawful attorney upon
whom may be served all summons and processes growing out of a
violation of this act. Service of such summons or process shall
be made by leaving a copy with a fee of five dollars ($5.00)
with the secretary of state of Wyoming, or in his office. Such
service shall be sufficient and valid personal service upon any
such nonresident defendant, copyright holder or owner, persons
or defendants, combination, entity or organization. Notice of
such service and a copy of the summons or process shall be
forthwith sent by registered mail requiring personal delivery,
by the prosecutor bringing any action under this chapter, to any
defendant at his last known address, and the defendant's return
receipt and the prosecutor's affidavit of compliance herewith
are appended to the process and entered as a part of the return.
The secretary of state shall keep a record of all such summons
and process which shall show the day and time of service.
40-13-109.
Injunction.
In the event any person, or groups of persons, or any
combination, refuse to comply with the provisions of this act,
then the county attorney for any county or the attorney general
upon complaint of any violation, may institute injunction
proceedings against the persons in the district court. The court
may enjoin all persons from violating the provisions of this act
and the constitutional provisions prohibiting price fixing,
monopolies and combinations.
40-13-110.
Right to sue; limitation; damages.
Any person in this state who is injured in his business or
property or aggrieved by reason of any violation of this act may
sue therefor within six (6) years of said violation in the
district court in the county in which the violation or any part
thereof took place, to recover any damages sustained as a result
of the violation of the terms of this act, and shall be entitled
to recover his costs, including reasonable attorney's fees. The
court may in its discretion increase the award of damages to an
amount not to exceed three (3) times the actual damages
sustained.
40-13-111.
Existing contracts not affected.
No blanket license or contract in existence with a user in the
state of Wyoming at the time of the passage of this act shall be
affected by this act.
40-13-112.
Special appearances deemed general.
In the event any person, or any defendant is proceeded against
as herein outlined, and is served with process according to law,
appears in any proceeding by counsel or otherwise, or institutes
any special proceeding attacking such proceeding, or makes any
motion therein, either special or general, or appears to obtain
the judgment of the court solely upon the sufficiency of the
service of process, or upon any phase or particularity of the
injunction proceedings, such special proceeding or appearance,
or motion, or appearance shall be deemed as a general
appearance.
40-13-113.
Penalty for violations.
A person or music licensing agency who violates this act is
guilty of a high misdemeanor and upon conviction is punishable
for each violation by a fine of not to exceed one thousand
dollars ($1,000.00), or by imprisonment in the state prison for
a period of one (1) year, or both.
ARTICLE 2
PROTECTION OF SOUND PRODUCTIONS
40-13-201.
(a)
Definitions.
As used in W.S. 40-13-201 through 40-13-206:
(i) "Owner" means the person who owns the original
fixation of sounds embodied in the master phonograph record,
master disc, master tape, master film or other device used for
reproducing sounds on phonograph records, discs, tapes, films or
other articles upon which sound is recorded and from which the
transferred recorded sounds are directly derived;
(ii)
performance.
40-13-202.
(a)
"Performer" means any person appearing in a
Prohibited acts.
No person shall:
(i) Knowingly and without the consent of the owner,
transfer or cause to be transferred any sounds recorded on a
phonograph record, disc, wire, tape, film or other article on
which sounds are recorded, with intent to sell or to cause to be
sold for profit or used to promote the sale of any product, the
article on which the sounds are transferred; or
(ii) Knowingly and without the consent of the
performer or his agent, transfer to or cause to be transferred
to any phonograph record, disc, wire, tape, film or other
article, any performance, whether live before an audience or
transmitted by wire or through the air by radio or television,
with intent to sell or to cause to be sold for profit or used to
promote the sale of any product, the article on which the
performance is transferred.
40-13-203.
Forfeiture and destruction.
Any article produced in violation of W.S. 40-13-202 and any
equipment or components used in producing the article is subject
to forfeiture to and destruction by law enforcement agencies.
40-13-204.
Additional prohibited act; evidence.
No person shall knowingly or with reasonable grounds to know,
advertise, offer for sale or resale, sell or resell, distribute
or possess any article which has been produced without the
consent of the owner or performer. Possession of five (5) or
more duplicate copies or twenty (20) or more individual copies
of recorded articles produced without the consent of the owner
or performer is prima facie evidence that the devices are
intended for sale or distribution in violation of this section.
40-13-205.
Penalty.
(a) Any person who violates any portion of W.S. 40-13-202
is guilty of a felony and shall be imprisoned in the state
penitentiary for not less than one (1) year nor more than two
(2) years or fined not more than ten thousand dollars
($10,000.00), or both. Each violation is a separate offense.
(b) Any person who violates the provisions of W.S.
40-13-204 is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be imprisoned in
the county jail for not more than one (1) year or fined not more
than ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00), or both. Each violation
is a separate offense.
40-13-206.
(a)
Exceptions.
W.S. 40-13-201 through 40-13-206 do not apply to:
(i) Any broadcaster who, in connection with or as
part of a radio, television or cable broadcast transmission or
for the purpose of archival preservation, transfers any such
sounds recorded on a sound recording;
(ii) Any person who transfers such sounds in the
home, for personal use and without compensation for the
transfer;
(iii) The transfer of sounds or possession of
duplicate copies within an educational institution, solely for
educational purposes; or
(iv) Any common carrier whose services or facilities
are merely contracted for and used by another for the purpose of
transferring sound.
ARTICLE 3
COPYRIGHT LICENSE ENFORCEMENT
40-13-301.
(a)
Definitions.
As used in this act:
(i) "Copyright owner" means the owner of a copyright
of a nondramatic musical work recognized and enforceable under
the copyright laws of the United States pursuant to Title 17 of
the United States Code, P. L. 94-553 (17 U.S.C. § 101 et seq.).
"Copyright owner" shall not include the owner of a copyright in
a motion picture or audiovisual work or in part of a motion
picture or audiovisual work;
(ii) "Performing rights society" means an association
or corporation that licenses the public performance of
nondramatic musical works on behalf of copyright owners, such as
the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
(ASCAP), Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) and SESAC, Inc.;
(iii) "Proprietor" means the owner of a retail
establishment, restaurant, inn, bar, tavern or any other place
of business or professional office located in this state in
which the public may assemble and in which nondramatic musical
works may be performed, broadcast or otherwise transmitted;
(iv) "Royalty" or "royalties" means the fees payable
to a performing rights society for public performance rights;
(v)
40-13-305.
"This act" means W.S. 40-13-301 through
40-13-302. Information required to be provided regarding
royalty contracts; contract requirements.
(a) No performing rights society shall enter into, or
offer to enter into, a contract for the payment of royalties by
a proprietor unless at the time of the offer, or any time
thereafter, but no later than seventy-two (72) hours prior to
the execution of that contract, it provides to the proprietor,
in writing the following:
(i) A schedule of the rates and terms of royalties
under the contract;
(ii) Upon request of the proprietor, the opportunity
to review the most current available list of the members or
affiliates represented by the society;
(iii) Notice that it will make available, upon
written request of any proprietor or bona fide trade association
representing groups of proprietors, at the sole expense of the
proprietor or bona fide trade association representing groups of
proprietors, by electronic means or otherwise, the most current
available listing of the copyrighted musical works in such
performing rights society's repertory. The notice shall specify
the means by which the information can be secured;
(iv) Notice that the performing rights society has a
toll free telephone number which can be used to answer inquiries
of a proprietor regarding specific musical works and the
copyright owners represented by that performing rights society;
and
(v) Notice that it complies with federal law and
orders of courts having appropriate jurisdiction regarding the
rates and terms of royalties and the circumstances under which
licenses for rights for public performances are offered to any
proprietor.
(b) Every contract between a performing rights society and
proprietor for the payment of royalties executed, issued or
renewed in this state on or after July 1, 1996 shall:
(i)
Be in writing;
(ii)
(iii)
Be signed by the parties; and
Include at least the following information:
(A) The proprietor's name and business address
and the name and location of each place of business to which the
contract applies;
(B)
rights society;
(C)
The name and address of the performing
The duration of the contract; and
(D) The schedule of rates and terms of the
royalties to be collected under the contract, including any
sliding scale or schedule for any increase or decrease of those
rates for the duration of that contract.
40-13-303.
Restrictions.
(a) No performing rights society or any agent or employee
thereof shall:
(i) With respect to a contract executed, issued or
renewed on or after July 1, 1996, collect or attempt to collect
from a proprietor licensed by that performing rights society a
royalty payment except as provided in a contract executed
pursuant to the provisions of this act;
(ii) Enter onto the premises of a proprietor's
business for the purpose of discussing a contract for payment of
royalties for the use of copyrighted works by that proprietor
without first identifying himself to the proprietor or his
employees and disclosing that the agent is acting on behalf of
the performing rights society and disclosing the purposes of the
discussion.
40-13-304.
Civil actions.
Any person who suffers a violation of this act may bring an
action to recover actual damages and reasonable attorney's fees
and seek an injunction or any other remedy available at law or
in equity.
40-13-305.
Applicability.
This act shall not apply to contracts between performing rights
societies and broadcasters licensed by the federal
communications commission or to contracts with cable operators,
programmers or other transmission services. This act also shall
not apply to investigations conducted by law enforcement
agencies.
CHAPTER 14
WYOMING UNIFORM CONSUMER CREDIT CODE
ARTICLE 1
GENERAL PROVISIONS AND DEFINITIONS
40-14-101.
Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as "Wyoming Uniform
Consumer Credit Code."
40-14-102.
Purposes; rules of construction.
(a) This act shall be liberally construed and applied to
promote its underlying purposes and policies.
(b)
The underlying purposes and policies of this act are:
(i) To simplify, clarify and modernize the law
governing retail installment sales, consumer credit, small loans
and usury;
(ii) To provide rate ceilings to assure an adequate
supply of credit to consumers;
(iii) To further consumer understanding of the terms
of credit transactions and to foster competition among suppliers
of consumer credit so that consumers may obtain credit at
reasonable cost;
(iv) To protect consumer buyers, lessees, and
borrowers against unfair practices by some suppliers of consumer
credit, having due regard for the interests of legitimate and
scrupulous creditors;
(v) To permit and encourage the development of fair
and economically sound consumer credit practices;
(vi) To conform the regulation of consumer credit
transactions to the policies of the federal Consumer Credit
Protection Act; and
(vii) To make uniform the law, including
administrative rules, among the various jurisdictions.
(c) A reference to a requirement imposed by this act
includes reference to a related rule of the administrator
adopted pursuant to this act.
40-14-103.
applicable.
Supplementary general principles of law
Unless displaced by the particular provisions of this act, the
Uniform Commercial Code and the principles of law and equity,
including the law relative to capacity to contract, principal
and agent, estoppel, fraud, misrepresentation, duress, coercion,
mistake, bankruptcy, or other validating or invalidating cause,
supplement its provisions.
40-14-104.
Construction against implicit repeal.
This act being a general act intended as a unified coverage of
its subject matter, no part of it shall be deemed to be
impliedly repealed by subsequent legislation if such
construction can reasonably be avoided.
40-14-105.
Severability.
If any provision of this act or the application thereof to any
person or circumstances is held invalid, the invalidity does not
affect other provisions or applications of this act which can be
given effect without the invalid provision or application, and
to this end the provisions of this act are severable.
40-14-106. Waiver; agreement to forego rights; settlement
of claims; legal rate of interest.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this act, a buyer,
lessee, or debtor may not waive or agree to forego rights or
benefits under this act.
(b) A claim by a buyer, lessee, or debtor against a
creditor for an excess charge, other violation of this act, or
civil penalty, or a claim against a buyer, lessee, or debtor for
default or breach of a duty imposed by this act, if disputed in
good faith, may be settled by agreement.
(c) A claim, whether or not disputed, against a buyer,
lessee, or debtor may be settled for less value than the amount
claimed.
(d) A settlement in which the buyer, lessee, or debtor
waives or agrees to forego rights or benefits under this act is
invalid if the court as a matter of law finds the settlement to
have been unconscionable at the time it was made. The competence
of the buyer, lessee, or debtor, any deception or coercion
practiced upon him, the nature and extent of the legal advice
received by him, and the value of the consideration are relevant
to the issue of unconscionability.
(e) If there is no agreement or provision of law for a
different rate, the interest of money shall be at the rate of
seven percent (7%) per annum.
40-14-107.
Effect on powers of organizations.
(a) This act prescribes maximum charges for all creditors,
except lessors and those excluded (W.S. 40-14-121), extending
consumer credit including consumer credit sales (W.S.
40-14-204), consumer loans (W.S. 40-14-304), and consumer
related sales and loans (W.S. 40-14-257 and 40-14-355), and
displaces existing limitations on the powers of those creditors
based on maximum charges.
(b) With respect to sellers of goods or services, small
loan companies, licensed lenders, consumer and sales finance
companies, industrial banks and loan companies and commercial
banks and trust companies, this act displaces existing
limitations on their powers based solely on amount or duration
of credit.
(c) Except as provided in subsection (a) of this section,
this act does not displace limitations on powers of credit
unions, savings banks, savings and loan associations, or other
thrift institutions whether organized for the profit of
shareholders or as mutual organizations.
(d) Except as provided in subsections (a) and (b) of this
section, this act does not displace:
(i) Limitations on powers of supervised financial
organizations defined by W.S. 40-14-140(a)(xix) with respect to
the amount of a loan to a single borrower, the ratio of a loan
to the value of collateral, the duration of a loan secured by an
interest in land or other similar restrictions designed to
protect deposits; or
(ii) Limitations on powers an organization is
authorized to exercise under the laws of this state or the
United States.
40-14-120.
Territorial application.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, this act
applies to consumer credit transactions made in this state. For
purposes of this act, a consumer credit transaction is made in
this state if:
(i) A signed writing evidencing the obligation or
offer of the consumer is received by the creditor or person
acting on behalf of the creditor in this state;
(ii)
Repealed By Laws 2013, Ch. 124, § 3.
(iii) The credit transaction is secured by a
dwelling, as defined in W.S. 40-14-640(a), located in Wyoming;
or
enters
with a
means,
print,
(iv) A consumer who is a resident of this state
into a consumer credit transaction while in this state
creditor who has offered or advertised in this state by
including but not limited to mail brochure, telephone,
radio, television, internet or other electronic means.
(b) With respect to sales made pursuant to a revolving
charge account (W.S. 40-14-208), this act applies if the buyer's
communication or indication of his intention to establish the
account is received by the seller in this state. If no
communication or indication of intention is given by the buyer
before the first sale, this act applies if the seller's
communication notifying the buyer of the privilege of using the
account is mailed or personally delivered in this state.
(c) With respect to loans made pursuant to a lender credit
card or similar arrangement (W.S. 40-14-140(a)(ix)), this act
applies if the debtor's communication or indication of his
intention to establish the arrangement with the lender is
received by the lender in this state. If no communication or
indication of intention is given by the debtor before the first
loan, this act applies if the lender's communication notifying
the debtor of the privilege of using the arrangement is mailed
or personally delivered in this state.
(d) The part on limitations on creditors' remedies (part
1) of the article on remedies and penalties (article 5) applies
to actions or other proceedings brought in this state to enforce
rights arising from consumer credit sales, consumer leases, or
consumer loans, or extortionate extensions of credit, wherever
made.
(e) If a consumer credit sale, consumer lease, or consumer
loan, or modification thereof, is made in another state to a
person who is a resident of this state when the sale, lease,
loan, or modification is made, the following provisions apply as
though the transaction occurred in this state:
(i) A seller, lessor, lender, or assignee of his
rights, may not collect charges through actions or other
proceedings in excess of those permitted by the article on
credit sales (article 2) or by the article on loans (article 3);
and
(ii) A seller, lessor, lender, or assignee of his
rights, may not enforce rights against the buyer, lessee, or
debtor, with respect to the provisions of agreements which
violate the provisions on limitations on agreements and
practices (part 4) of the article on credit sales (article 2) or
of the article on loans (article 3).
(f) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section,
a sale, lease, loan or modification thereof, made in another
state to a person who was not a resident of this state when the
sale, lease, loan, or modification was made is valid and
enforceable in this state according to its terms to the extent
that it is valid and enforceable under the laws of the state
applicable to the transaction.
(g) For the purposes of this act, the residence of a
buyer, lessee, or debtor is the address given by him as his
residence in any writing signed by him in connection with a
credit transaction. Until he notifies the creditor of a new or
different address, the given address is presumed to be
unchanged.
(h)
Notwithstanding other provisions of this section:
(i) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this
section, this act does not apply if the buyer, lessee, or debtor
is not a resident of this state at the time of a credit
transaction and the parties then agree that the law of his
residence applies; and
(ii) This act applies if the buyer, lessee, or debtor
is a resident of this state at the time of a credit transaction
and the parties then agree that the law of this state applies.
(j) Except as provided in subsection (h) of this section,
the following agreements by a buyer, lessee, or debtor are
invalid with respect to consumer credit sales, consumer leases,
consumer loans, or modifications thereof, to which this act
applies:
(i)
That the law of another state shall apply;
(ii) That the buyer, lessee, or debtor consents to
the jurisdiction of another state; and
(iii)
That fixes venue.
(k) The following provisions of this act specify the
applicable law governing certain cases:
(i) Applicability (W.S. 40-14-602) of the part on
powers and functions of administrator (part 1) of the article on
administration (article 6); and
(ii) Applicability (W.S. 40-14-630) of the part on
notification and fees (part 2) of the article on administration
(article 6).
40-14-121.
Exclusions.
(a) Except as required by W.S. 40-14-641, this act does
not apply to:
(i) Extensions of credit to government or
governmental agencies or instrumentalities;
(ii) Except as otherwise provided in the article on
insurance [article 4], the sale of insurance by an insurer if
the premium is not financed;
(iii) Transactions under public utility or common
carrier tariffs if a subdivision or agency of this state or of
the United States regulates the charges for the services
involved, the charges for delayed payment, and any discount
allowed for early payment; or
(iv)
Repealed by Laws 1983, ch. 62, § 2.
(v) Ceilings on rates and charges or limits on loan
maturities of a credit union organized under the laws of this
state or of the United States if these ceilings or limits are
established by these laws; or
(vi) Credit sales, loans or leases primarily for an
agricultural purpose except as provided in article 2, part 6 and
article 3, part 6 of this code.
40-14-140.
General definitions.
(a) In addition to definitions appearing in subsequent
articles, in this act:
(i) "Actuarial method" means the method, defined by
rules adopted by the administrator, of allocating payments made
on a debt between principal or amount financed and loan finance
charge or credit service charge pursuant to which a payment is
applied first to the accumulated loan finance charge or credit
service charge and the balance is applied to the unpaid
principal or unpaid amount financed;
(ii) "Administrator" means the administrator
designated in the article (article 6) on administration (W.S.
40-14-603);
(iii) "Agreement" means the bargain of the parties in
fact as found in their language or by implication from other
circumstances including course of dealing or usage of trade or
course of performance;
(iv) "Agricultural purpose" means a purpose related
to the production, harvest, exhibition, marketing,
transportation, processing, or manufacture of agricultural
products by a natural person who cultivates, plants, propagates,
or nurtures the agricultural products. "Agricultural products"
includes agricultural, horticultural, viticultural, and dairy
products, livestock, wildlife, poultry, bees, forest products,
fish and shellfish, and any products thereof, including
processed and manufactured products, and any and all products
raised or produced on farms and any processed or manufactured
products thereof;
(v) "Closing costs" with respect to a debt secured by
an interest in land includes:
(A) Fees or premiums for title examination,
title insurance, or similar purposes including surveys;
(B) Fees for preparation of a deed, settlement
statement, or other documents;
(C)
Escrows for future payments of taxes and
(D)
Fees for notarizing deeds and other
(E)
Appraisal fees; and
(F)
Credit reports.
insurance;
documents;
(vi) "Conspicuous".-A term or clause is conspicuous
when it is so written that a reasonable person against whom it
is to operate ought to have noticed it. Whether a term or clause
is conspicuous or not is for decision by the court;
(vii) "Credit" means the right granted by a creditor
to a debtor to defer payment of debt or to incur debt and defer
its payment;
(viii) "Earnings" means compensation paid or payable
to an individual or for his account for personal services
rendered or to be rendered by him, whether denominated as wages,
salary, commission, bonus, or otherwise, and includes periodic
payments pursuant to a pension, retirement, or disability
program;
(ix) "Lender credit card or similar arrangement"
means an arrangement or loan agreement, other than a seller
credit card, pursuant to which a lender gives a debtor the
privilege of using a credit card, letter of credit, or other
credit confirmation or identification in transactions out of
which debt arises:
(A) By the lender's honoring a draft or similar
order for the payment of money drawn or accepted by the debtor;
(B) By the lender's payment or agreement to pay
the debtor's obligations; or
(C) By the lender's purchase from the obligee of
the debtor's obligations.
(x)
(xi)
Repealed By Laws 2013, Ch. 124, § 3.
"Official fees" means:
(A) Fees and charges prescribed by law which
actually are or will be paid to public officials for determining
the existence of or for perfecting, releasing, or satisfying a
security interest related to a consumer credit sale, consumer
lease, or consumer loan; or
(B) Premiums payable for insurance in lieu of
perfecting a security interest otherwise required by the
creditor in connection with the sale, lease, or loan, if the
premium does not exceed the fees and charges described in
subparagraph (A) of this paragraph which would otherwise be
payable.
(xii) "Organization" means a sole proprietorship,
limited liability company, corporation, government or
governmental subdivision or agency, trust, estate, partnership,
cooperative, association or other entity, public or private;
(xiii) "Payable in installments" means that payment
is required or permitted by a written agreement in five (5) or
more installments. If any periodic payment other than the down
payment under an agreement requiring or permitting two (2) or
more periodic payments is more than twice the amount of any
other periodic payment, excluding the down payment, the consumer
credit sale, consumer lease or consumer loan is "payable in
installments";
(xiv) "Person" includes a natural person or an
individual, and an organization;
(xv)(A)
individual, means:
(I)
"Person related to" with respect to an
The spouse of the individual;
(II) A brother, brother-in-law, sister,
sister-in-law of the individual;
(III) An ancestor or lineal descendant of
the individual or his spouse; and
(IV) Any other relative, by blood or
marriage, of the individual or his spouse who shares the same
home with the individual;
(B) "Person related to" with respect to an
organization means:
(I) A person directly or indirectly
controlling, controlled by or under common control with the
organization;
(II) An officer or director of the
organization or a person performing similar functions with
respect to the organization or to a person related to the
organization;
(III)
The spouse of a person related to the
organization; and
(IV) A relative by blood or marriage of a
person related to the organization who shares the same home with
him.
(xvi) "Presumed" or "presumption" means that the
trier of fact must find the existence of the fact presumed
unless and until evidence is introduced which would support a
finding of its nonexistence;
(xvii) "Rule of 78's" means the method used in the
calculation of rebate upon prepayment where the unearned portion
of the credit service charge or loan finance charge is a
fraction of the charge of which the numerator is the sum of the
periodic balances scheduled to follow the computational period
in which prepayment occurs and the denominator is the sum of all
periodic balances under the related consumer credit sale
agreement, the loan agreement or, if the balance owing resulted
from a refinancing or a consolidation, the related refinancing
agreement or consolidation agreement;
(xviii) "Seller credit card" means an arrangement in
which a person gives to a buyer or lessee the privilege of using
a credit card, letter of credit or other credit confirmation or
identification primarily for the purpose of purchasing or
leasing goods or services from that person or from that person
and any other person;
(xix) "Supervised financial organization" means a
person other than an insurance company or other organization
primarily engaged in an insurance business, which is:
(A) Organized, chartered or holding an
authorization certificate under the laws of this state, any
other state or of the United States which authorizes the person
to make loans and to receive deposits including a savings,
share, certificate or deposit account; and
(B) Subject to supervision by an official or
agency of any state or of the United States.
(xx)
"Licensee" means an organization licensed under
this act;
(xxi) "Incident to the extension of credit" means a
charge assessed at any time during the duration of a credit
transaction that is not assessed to a consumer in a comparable
cash transaction whether imposed by the original creditor or an
assignee or servicer of the credit transaction;
(xxii) "Regulation Z" means regulation Z as
promulgated by the board of governors of the federal reserve
system and codified in 12 C.F.R. part 1026 et seq., as amended;
(xxiii) "Channeling agent" means the third party
licensing system that gathers the application information and
distributes it to Wyoming for review for the approval or denial
decision;
(xxiv) "Registry" means the nationwide licensing
system and registry maintained by the State Regulatory Registry,
LLC;
(xxv)
40-14-702.
40-14-141.
"This act" means W.S. 40-14-101 through
Definition.
In this act "Federal Consumer Credit Protection Act" means the
Consumer Credit Protection Act (Public Law 90-321; 82 U.S.
Statutes 146), as amended, and includes regulations issued
pursuant to that act.
40-14-142.
Index of definitions.
(a) Definitions in this act and the sections in which they
appear are:
(i)
"Actuarial method"-W.S. 40-14-140(a)(i);
(ii)
"Administrator"-W.S. 40-14-140(a)(ii);
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
"Administrator"-W.S. 40-14-603;
"Agreement"-W.S. 40-14-140(a)(iii);
"Agricultural purpose"-W.S. 40-14-140(a)(iv);
(vi)
"Amount financed"-W.S. 40-14-211;
(vii)
Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 116, § 2.
(viii)
(ix)
(x)
Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 116, § 2.
"Cash price"-W.S. 40-14-210;
"Closing costs"-W.S. 40-14-140(a)(v);
(xi)
"Conspicuous"-W.S. 40-14-140(a)(vi);
(xii) "Consumer credit insurance"-W.S.
40-14-403(a)(i);
(xiii)
(xiv)
(xv)
"Consumer lease"-W.S. 40-14-206;
"Consumer loan"-W.S. 40-14-304;
(xvi)
"Consumer related loan"-W.S. 40-14-355;
(xvii)
(xviii)
(xix)
(xx)
"Consumer credit sale"-W.S. 40-14-204;
"Consumer related sale"-W.S. 40-14-257;
Repealed By Laws 2012, Ch. 98, § 2.
Repealed By Laws 2012, Ch. 98, § 2.
"Credit"-W.S. 40-14-140(a)(vii);
(xxi)
"Credit Insurance Act"-W.S. 40-14-403(a)(ii);
(xxii)
"Credit service charge"-W.S. 40-14-209;
(xxiii)
"Earnings"-W.S. 40-14-140(a)(viii);
(xxiv)
40-14-141;
(xxv)
"Federal Consumer Credit Protection Act"-W.S.
"Goods"-W.S. 40-14-205(a);
(xxvi)
"Home solicitation sale"-W.S. 40-14-251;
(xxvii)
"Lender"-W.S. 40-14-307(a);
(xxviii) "Lender credit card or similar
arrangement"-W.S. 40-14-140(a)(ix);
(xxix)
(xxx)
"Loan"-W.S. 40-14-306;
"Loan finance charge"-W.S. 40-14-309;
(xxxi) "Loan primarily secured by an interest in
land"-W.S. 40-14-305;
(xxxii)
Repealed By Laws 2013, Ch. 124, § 3.
(xxxiii)
"Merchandise certificate"-W.S. 40-14-205(b);
(xxxiv)
"Official fees"-W.S. 40-14-140(a)(xi);
(xxxv)
"Organization"-W.S. 40-14-140(a)(xii);
(xxxvi) "Payable in installments"-W.S.
40-14-140(a)(xiii);
(xxxvii)
(xxxviii)
40-14-359(a)(ii);
(xxxix)
(xl)
(xli)
"Pawnbroker"-W.S. 40-14-359(a)(i);
"Pawn finance charge"-W.S.
"Pawn transaction"-W.S. 40-14-359(a)(iii);
"Person"-W.S. 40-14-140(a)(xiv);
"Person related to"-W.S. 40-14-140(a)(xv);
(xlii)
40-14-362(a)(i);
"Post-dated check or similar arrangement"-W.S.
(xliii)
40-14-362(a)(ii);
"Post-dated check casher"-W.S.
(xliv)
(xlv)
"Precomputed" (loan)-W.S. 40-14-307(b);
"Precomputed" (sale)-W.S. 40-14-205(g);
(xlvi) "Presumed" or "presumption"-W.S.
40-14-140(a)(xvi);
(xlvii)
"Principal"-W.S. 40-14-307(c);
(xlviii)
(xlix)
(l)
"Revolving charge account"-W.S. 40-14-208;
"Revolving loan account"-W.S. 40-14-308;
"Rule of 78's"-W.S. 40-14-140(a)(xvii);
(li)
"Sale of goods"-W.S. 40-14-205(d);
(lii)
40-14-205(f);
"Sale of an interest in land"-W.S.
(liii)
(liv)
(lv)
"Sale of services"-W.S. 40-14-205(e);
"Seller"-W.S. 40-14-207;
"Seller credit card"-W.S. 40-14-140(a)(xviii);
(lvi)
"Services"-W.S. 40-14-205(c);
(lvii) "Supervised financial organization"-W.S.
40-14-140(a)(xix);
(lviii)
(lix)
(lx)
"Supervised lender"-W.S. 40-14-341(b);
"Supervised loan"-W.S. 40-14-341(a);
"Channeling agent" – W.S. 40-14-140(a)(xxiii);
(lxi) "Clerical or support duties" – W.S.
40-14-640(a)(ii);
(lxii) "Depository institution" – W.S.
40-14-640(a)(iii);
(lxiii)
(lxiv)
40-14-640(a)(v);
"Dwelling" – W.S. 40-14-640(a)(iv);
"Federal banking agency" – W.S.
(lxv) "Immediate family member" – W.S.
40-14-640(a)(vi);
(lxvi)
"Individual" – W.S. 40-14-640(a)(vii);
(lxvii)
"Licensee" – W.S. 40-14-140(a)(xx);
(lxviii) "Loan processor or underwriter" – W.S.
40-14-640(a)(viii);
(lxix) "Mortgage loan originator" – W.S.
40-14-640(a)(ix);
(lxx) "Nontraditional mortgage product" – W.S.
40-14-640(a)(x);
(lxxi) "Real estate brokerage activity" – W.S.
40-14-640(a)(xi);
(lxxii) "Registered mortgage loan originator" – W.S.
40-14-640(a)(xii);
(lxxiii)
"Registry" – W.S. 40-14-140(a)(xxiv);
(lxxiv) "Residential mortgage loan" – W.S.
40-14-640(a)(xiv);
(lxxv)
"Timeshare plan" – W.S. 40-14-640(a)(xv);
(lxxvi)
(lxxvii)
40-14-140(a)(xxi);
(lxxviii)
(lxxix)
"Unique identifier" – W.S. 40-14-640(a)(xvi);
"Incident to the extension of credit" – W.S.
"Regulation Z" – W.S. 40-14-140(a)(xxii);
"This act" - W.S. 40-14-140(a)(xxv).
ARTICLE 2
CREDIT SALES
40-14-201.
Short title.
This article shall be known and may be cited as "Uniform
Consumer Credit Code Credit Sales."
40-14-202.
Scope.
This article applies to consumer credit sales, including home
solicitation sales, and consumer leases; in addition part 6
applies to consumer related sales.
40-14-203.
Definitions.
(a) The following definitions apply to this act and appear
in this article as follows:
(i)
"Amount financed"-W.S. 40-14-211;
(ii)
Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 116, § 2.
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
"Cash price"-W.S. 40-14-210;
"Consumer credit sale"-W.S. 40-14-204;
"Consumer lease"-W.S. 40-14-206;
(vi)
"Consumer related sale"-W.S. 40-14-257;
(vii)
Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 116, § 2.
(viii)
(ix)
(x)
"Goods"-W.S. 40-14-205(a);
"Home solicitation sale"-W.S. 40-14-251;
(xi)
"Merchandise certificate"-W.S. 40-14-205(b);
(xii)
"Precomputed"-W.S. 40-14-205(g);
(xiii)
(xiv)
(xv)
"Credit service charge"-W.S. 40-14-209;
"Revolving charge account"-W.S. 40-14-208;
"Sale of goods"-W.S. 40-14-205(d);
"Sale of an interest in land"-W.S. 40-14-205(f);
(xvi)
"Sale of services"-W.S. 40-14-205(e);
(xvii)
(xviii)
40-14-204.
"Seller"-W.S. 40-14-207;
"Services"-W.S. 40-14-205(c).
Definition of "consumer credit sale".
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section,
"consumer credit sale" is a sale of goods, services or an
interest in land in which:
(i) Credit is granted by a person who regularly
engages as a seller in credit transactions of the same kind;
(ii)
organization;
The buyer is a person other than an
(iii) The goods, services or interest in land are
purchased primarily for a personal, family or household purpose;
(iv) Either the debt is payable in installments or a
credit service charge is made; and
(v) With respect to a sale of goods or services, the
amount financed does not exceed seventy-five thousand dollars
($75,000.00) or the debt is secured by a dwelling, as defined in
W.S. 40-14-640(a)(iv), located in Wyoming.
(b) Unless the sale is made subject to this act by
agreement pursuant to W.S. 40-14-256, "consumer credit sale"
does not include:
(i) A sale in which the seller allows the buyer to
purchase goods or services pursuant to a lender credit card or
similar arrangement; or
(ii) A sale of an interest in land if the credit
service charge does not exceed eighteen percent (18%) per year
calculated according to the actuarial method on the unpaid
balances of the amount financed on the assumption that the debt
will be paid according to the agreed terms and will not be paid
before the end of the agreed term, except as provided for
disclosure and debtors' remedies in W.S. 40-14-520.
(c)
Repealed by Laws 1981, ch. 147, § 2.
40-14-205.
Additional definitions.
(a) "Goods" includes a goods not in existence at the time
the transaction is entered into and merchandise certificates,
but excludes money, chattel paper, documents of title, and
instruments.
(b) "Merchandise certificate" means a writing issued by a
seller not redeemable in cash and usable in its face amount in
lieu of cash in exchange for goods or services.
(c)
"Services" includes:
(i)
Work, labor, and other personal services;
(ii) Privileges with respect to transportation, hotel
and restaurant accommodations, education, entertainment,
recreation, physical culture, hospital accommodations, funerals,
cemetery accommodations, and the like; and
(iii)
Insurance provided by a person other than the
insurer.
(d) "Sale of goods" includes any agreement in the form of
a bailment or lease of goods if the bailee or lessee agrees to
pay as compensation for use a sum substantially equivalent to or
in excess of the aggregate value of the goods involved and it is
agreed that the bailee or lessee will become, or for no other or
a nominal consideration has the option to become, the owner of
the goods upon full compliance with his obligations under the
agreement.
(e) "Sale of services" means furnishing or agreeing to
furnish services and includes making arrangements to have
services furnished by another.
(f) "Sale of an interest in land" includes a lease in
which the lessee has an option to purchase the interest and all
or a substantial part of the rental or other payments previously
made by him are applied to the purchase price.
(g) A sale, refinancing, or consolidation is "precomputed"
if the debt is expressed as a sum comprising the amount financed
and the amount of the credit service charge computed in advance.
40-14-206.
Definition of "consumer lease".
(a)
"Consumer lease" means a lease of goods:
(i) Which a lessor regularly engaged in the business
of leasing makes to a person, other than an organization, who
takes under the lease primarily for a personal, family or
household purpose;
(ii) In which the amount payable under the lease does
not exceed seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000.00); and
(iii)
Which is for a term exceeding four (4) months.
(b) "Consumer lease" does not include a lease made
pursuant to a lender credit card or similar arrangement.
40-14-207.
Definition of "seller".
Except as otherwise provided, "seller" includes an assignee of
the seller's right to payment but use of the term does not in
itself impose on an assignee any obligation of the seller with
respect to events occurring before the assignment.
40-14-208.
Definition of "revolving charge account".
(a) "Revolving charge account" means an arrangement
between a seller and a buyer pursuant to which:
(i) The seller may permit the buyer to purchase goods
or services on credit either from the seller or pursuant to a
seller credit card;
(ii) The unpaid balances of amounts financed arising
from purchases and the credit service and other appropriate
charges are debited to an account;
(iii) A credit service charge if made is not
precomputed but is computed on the outstanding unpaid balances
of the buyer's account from time to time; and
(iv) Either the buyer has the privilege of paying in
full or in installments or the seller periodically imposes
charges computed on the account for delaying payment and permits
the buyer to continue to purchase on credit.
40-14-209.
Definition of "credit service charge".
(a)
"Credit service charge" means the sum of:
(i) All charges payable directly or indirectly by the
buyer and imposed directly or indirectly by the seller as a
condition of or an incident to the extension of credit,
including any of the following types of charges which are
applicable: time price differential, service, carrying or other
charge however denominated, premium or other charge for any
guarantee or insurance protecting the seller against the buyer's
default or other credit loss; and
(ii) Charges incurred for investigating the
collateral or credit-worthiness of the buyer or for commissions
or brokerage for obtaining the credit, irrespective of the
person to whom the charges are paid or payable, unless the
seller had no notice of the charges when the credit was granted.
(b)
Credit service charge does not include:
(i)
Charges as a result of default;
(ii)
(iii)
40-14-214;
(iv)
Additional charges pursuant to W.S. 40-14-213;
Delinquency charges specified by W.S.
Deferral charges pursuant to W.S. 40-14-215;
(v) A discount not in excess of five percent (5%)
offered by a seller for purposes of inducing payment by cash,
check or other means not involving the use of a seller or lender
credit card, if the discount is offered to all prospective
buyers and its availability is disclosed clearly and
conspicuously in accordance with the federal Consumer Credit
Protection Act, P.L. 90-321, 82 Stat. 146, 15 U.S.C. § 470 et
seq.; or
(vi) Reasonable credit application fees whether or
not credit is extended.
40-14-210.
Definition of "cash price".
"Cash price" means the price at which the creditor offers, in
the ordinary course of business, to sell for cash the property
or services which are the subject of a consumer credit
transaction. It may include the cash price of accessories or
services related to the sale such as delivery, installation,
alterations, modifications, and improvements, and may include
taxes to the extent imposed on the cash sale, but shall not
include any other charges of the types described in section
1026.4 of regulation Z of the federal Consumer Credit Protection
Act.
40-14-211.
Definition of "amount financed".
(a) "Amount financed" means the total of the following
items to the extent that payment is deferred:
(i) The cash price of the goods, services, or
interest in land, less the amount of any down payment whether
made in cash or in property traded in;
(ii) The amount actually paid or to be paid by the
seller pursuant to an agreement with the buyer to discharge a
security interest in or a lien on property traded in; and
(iii)
If not included in the cash price:
(A) Any applicable sales, use, excise, or
documentary stamp taxes;
(B) Amounts actually paid or to be paid by the
seller for registration, certificate of title, or license fees;
and
(C)
Additional charges permitted by W.S.
40-14-213.
40-14-212. Credit service charge for consumer credit sales
other than revolving charge accounts.
(a) With respect to a consumer credit sale, other than a
sale pursuant to a revolving charge account, a seller may
contract for and receive a credit service charge not exceeding
that permitted by this section.
(b) The credit service charge, calculated according to the
actuarial method, may not exceed:
(i) Where the amount financed does not exceed
seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000.00), the equivalent of
the greater of either of the following:
(A) The total of: Thirty-six percent (36%) per
year on that part of the unpaid balances of the amount financed
which is one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or less and twenty-one
percent (21%) per year on that part of the unpaid balances of
the amount financed which is more than one thousand dollars
($1,000.00); or
(B) Twenty-one percent (21%) per year on that
part of the unpaid balances of the amount financed.
(C)
Repealed by Laws 1981, ch. 147, § 1.
(ii) Where the amount financed exceeds seventy-five
thousand dollars ($75,000.00), any credit service charge
specified in the buyer's sale agreement.
(c) This section does not limit or restrict the manner of
contracting for the credit service charge, whether by way of
add-on, discount, or otherwise, so long as the rate of the
credit service charge does not exceed that permitted by this
section. If the sale is precomputed:
(i) The credit service charge may be calculated on
the assumption that all scheduled payments will be made when
due; and
(ii) The effect of prepayment is governed by the
provisions on rebate upon prepayment (W.S. 40-14-221).
(d) For the purposes of this section, the term of a sale
agreement commences with the date the credit is granted or, if
goods are delivered or services performed ten (10) days or more
after that date, with the date of commencement of delivery or
performance. Differences in the lengths of months are
disregarded and a day may be counted as one-thirtieth of a
month. Subject to classifications and differentiations the
seller may reasonably establish, a part of a month in excess of
fifteen (15) days may be treated as a full month if periods of
fifteen (15) days or less are disregarded and that procedure is
not consistently used to obtain a greater yield than would
otherwise be permitted.
(e) Subject to classifications and differentiations the
seller may reasonably establish, he may make the same credit
service charge on all amounts financed within a specified range.
A credit service charge so made does not violate subsection (b)
of this section if:
(i) When applied to the median amount within each
range, it does not exceed the maximum permitted by subsection
(b) of this section; and
(ii) When applied to the lowest amount within each
range, it does not produce a rate of credit service charge
exceeding the rate calculated according to paragraph (a)(i) of
this section by more than eight percent (8%) of the rate
calculated according to paragraph (a)(i) of this section.
(f) Notwithstanding subsection (b) of this section, the
seller may contract for and receive a minimum credit service
charge of not more than thirty dollars ($30.00).
40-14-213.
Additional charges.
(a) In addition to the credit service charge permitted by
this part, a seller may contract for and receive the following
additional charges in connection with a consumer credit sale:
(i)
Official fees and taxes;
(ii) Charges for insurance as described in subsection
(b) of this section; and
(iii) Charges excluded from the credit service
charge by the federal Consumer Credit Protection Act or by rule
adopted by the administrator.
(b) An additional charge may be made for insurance written
in connection with the sale, other than insurance protecting the
seller against the buyer's default or other credit loss:
(i) With respect to insurance against loss of or
damage to property, or against liability, if the seller
furnishes a clear and specific statement in writing to the
buyer, setting forth the cost of the insurance if obtained from
or through the seller, and stating that the buyer may choose the
person through whom the insurance is to be obtained;
(ii) With respect to consumer credit insurance
providing life, accident, or health coverage, if the insurance
coverage is not a factor in the approval by the seller of the
extension of credit and this fact is clearly disclosed in
writing to the buyer, and if, in order to obtain the insurance
in connection with the extension of credit, the buyer gives
specific affirmative written indication of his desire to do so
after written disclosure to him of the cost thereof;
(iii)
Repealed By Laws 2013, Ch. 124, § 3.
(c) Reasonable closing costs (W.S. 40-14-140(a)(v)) are
additional charges.
40-14-214.
Delinquency charges.
(a) With respect to a consumer credit sale, refinancing,
or consolidation, the parties may contract for a delinquency
charge on any installment not paid in full within ten (10) days
after its scheduled due date in an amount not exceeding the
greater of:
(i) Five percent (5%) of the unpaid amount of the
installment; or
(ii)
Ten dollars ($10.00).
(b) A delinquency charge under subsection (a) of this
section may be collected only once on an installment however
long it remains in default. No delinquency charge may be
collected if the installment has been deferred and a deferral
charge (W.S. 40-14-215) has been paid or incurred until ten (10)
days after the deferred due date. A delinquency charge may be
collected at the time it accrues or at any time thereafter.
(c) No delinquency charge may be collected on an
installment which is paid in full within ten (10) days after its
scheduled installment due date even though an earlier maturing
installment or a delinquency charge on an earlier installment
may not have been paid in full. For purposes of this subsection
payments are applied first to current installments and then to
delinquent installments.
40-14-215.
Deferral charges.
(a) With respect to a consumer credit sale, refinancing,
or consolidation, the parties before or after default may agree
in writing to a deferral of all or part of one (1) or more
unpaid installments, and the seller may make and collect a
charge which the buyer expressly agrees to pay as consideration
for the deferral. A deferral charge may be collected at the time
it is assessed or at any time thereafter.
(b) The seller, in addition to the deferral charge, may
make appropriate additional charges (W.S. 40-14-213), and the
amount of these charges which is not paid in cash may be added
to the amount deferred for the purpose of calculating the
deferral charge.
(c) Except in connection with a revolving charge account,
the parties may agree in writing at the time of a consumer
credit sale, refinancing, or consolidation that if an
installment is not paid within ten (10) days after its due date,
the seller may unilaterally grant a deferral and make charges as
provided in this section. No deferral charge may be made for a
period after the date that the seller elects to accelerate the
maturity of the agreement.
(d) A delinquency charge made by the seller on an
installment may not be retained if a deferral charge is made
pursuant to this section with respect to the period of
delinquency.
40-14-216.
Credit service charge on refinancing.
(a) With respect to a consumer credit sale, refinancing,
or consolidation, the seller may by agreement with the buyer
refinance the unpaid balance and may contract for and receive a
credit service charge based on the amount financed resulting
from the refinancing at a rate not exceeding that permitted by
the provisions on credit service charge for consumer credit
sales (W.S. 40-14-212). For the purpose of determining the
credit service charge permitted, the amount financed resulting
from the refinancing comprises the following:
(i) If the transaction was not precomputed, the total
of the unpaid balance and accrued charges on the date of
refinancing, or, if the transaction was precomputed, the amount
which the buyer would have been required to pay upon prepayment
pursuant to the provisions on rebate upon prepayment (W.S.
40-14-221) on the date of refinancing except that for the
purpose of computing this amount no minimum credit service
charge (W.S. 40-14-212(f)) shall be allowed; and
(ii) Appropriate additional charges (W.S. 40-14-213),
payment of which is deferred.
40-14-217.
Credit service charge on consolidation.
(a) If a buyer owes an unpaid balance to a seller with
respect to a consumer credit sale, refinancing, or
consolidation, and becomes obligated on another consumer credit
sale, refinancing, or consolidation with the same seller, the
parties may agree to a consolidation resulting in a single
schedule of payments pursuant to either of the following
subsections:
(i) The parties may agree to refinance the unpaid
balance with respect to the previous sale pursuant to the
provisions on refinancing (W.S. 40-14-216) and to consolidate
the amount financed resulting from the refinancing by adding it
to the amount financed with respect to the subsequent sale. The
seller may contract for and receive a credit service charge
based on the aggregate amount financed resulting from the
consolidation at a rate not exceeding that permitted by the
provisions on credit service charge for consumer credit sales
(W.S. 40-14-212);
(ii) The parties may agree to consolidate by adding
together the unpaid balances with respect to the two (2) sales.
40-14-218.
accounts.
Credit service charge for revolving charge
(a) With respect to a consumer credit sale made pursuant
to a revolving charge account, the parties to the sale may
contract for the payment by the buyer of a credit service charge
not exceeding that permitted in this section.
(b) A charge may be made in each billing cycle which is a
percentage of an amount no greater than:
(i)
The average daily balance of the account;
(ii) The unpaid balance of the account on the same
day of the billing cycle; or
(iii) The median amount within a specified range
within which the average daily balance of the account or the
unpaid balance of the account on the same day of the billing
cycle is included. A charge may be made pursuant to this
paragraph only if the seller, subject to classifications and
differentiations he may reasonably establish, makes the same
charge on all balances within the specified range and if the
percentage when applied to the median amount within the range
does not produce a charge exceeding the charge resulting from
applying that percentage to the lowest amount within the range
by more than eight percent (8%) of the charge on the median
amount.
(c) Except as provided in paragraph (ii) of this
subsection:
(i) If the billing cycle is monthly, the charge may
not exceed one and three-fourths percent (1.75%) of the amount
pursuant to subsection (b) of this section; or
(ii) If the billing cycle is not monthly, the maximum
charge is that percentage which bears the same relation to the
applicable monthly percentage as the number of days in the
billing cycle bears to thirty (30). For the purposes of this
section, a variation of not more than four (4) days from month
to month is "the same day of the billing cycle".
(d) Notwithstanding subsection (c) of this section, if
there is an unpaid balance on the date as of which the credit
service charge is applied, the seller may contract for and
receive a charge not exceeding fifty cents ($.50) if the billing
cycle is monthly or longer, or the pro rata part of fifty cents
($.50) which bears the same relation to fifty cents ($.50) as
the number of days in the billing cycle bears to thirty (30) if
the billing cycle is shorter than monthly.
40-14-219.
Advances to perform covenants of buyer.
(a) If the agreement with respect to a consumer credit
sale, refinancing, or consolidation contains covenants by the
buyer to perform certain duties pertaining to insuring or
preserving collateral and the seller pursuant to the agreement
pays for performance of the duties on behalf of the buyer, the
seller may add the amounts paid to the debt. Within a reasonable
time after advancing any sums, he shall state to the buyer in
writing the amount of the sums advanced, any charges with
respect to this amount, and any revised payment schedule and, if
the duties of the buyer performed by the seller pertain to
insurance, a brief description of the insurance paid for by the
seller including the type and amount of coverages. No further
information need be given.
(b) A credit service charge may be made for sums advanced
pursuant to subsection (a) of this section at a rate not
exceeding the rate stated to the buyer pursuant to the laws
relating to disclosure with respect to the sale, refinancing, or
consolidation, except that with respect to a revolving charge
account the amount of the advance may be added to the unpaid
balance of the amount and the seller may make a credit service
charge not exceeding that permitted by the provisions on credit
service charge for revolving charge accounts (W.S. 40-14-218).
40-14-220.
Right to prepay.
Subject to the provisions on rebate upon prepayment (W.S.
40-14-221), the buyer may prepay in full the unpaid balance of a
consumer credit sale, refinancing, or consolidation at any time
without penalty.
40-14-221.
Rebate upon prepayment.
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section,
upon prepayment in full of the unpaid balance of a precomputed
consumer credit sale, refinancing or consolidation, the unearned
credit service charge shall be refunded based upon the Rule of
78's if the transaction under its original terms did not exceed
sixty-one (61) monthly installments and upon the actuarial
method, if the transaction by its original terms exceeded
sixty-one (61) monthly installments. An amount not less than the
unearned portion of the credit service charge calculated
according to this section shall be rebated to the debtor. With
respect to irregular payment transactions, the administrator may
prescribe by rule the refund formula. If the rebate otherwise
required is less than one dollar ($1.00), no rebate need be
made.
(b) Upon prepayment in full of a consumer credit sale,
refinancing, or consolidation, other than one (1) pursuant to a
revolving charge account, if the credit service charge then
earned is less than any permitted minimum credit service charge
(W.S. 40-14-212(f)) contracted for, whether or not the sale,
refinancing, or consolidation is precomputed, the seller may
collect or retain the minimum charge, as if earned, not
exceeding the credit service charge contracted for.
(c) If a deferral (W.S. 40-14-215) has been agreed to, the
unearned portion of the credit service charge shall be computed
without regard to the deferral. The amount of deferral charge
earned at the date of prepayment shall also be calculated. If
the deferral charge earned is less than the deferral charge
paid, the difference shall be added to the unearned portion of
the credit service charge. If any part of a deferral charge has
been earned but has not been paid, that part shall be subtracted
from the unearned portion of the credit service charge or shall
be added to the unpaid balance.
(d) This section does not preclude the collection or
retention by the seller of delinquency charges (W.S. 40-14-214).
(e) If the maturity is accelerated for any reason and
judgment is obtained, the buyer is entitled to the same rebate
as if payment had been made on the date judgment is entered.
(f) Upon prepayment in full of a consumer credit sale by
the proceeds of consumer credit insurance (W.S. 40-14-403), the
buyer or his estate is entitled to the same rebate as though the
buyer had prepaid the agreement on the date the proceeds of the
insurance are paid to the seller, but no later than ten (10)
business days after satisfactory proof of loss is furnished to
the seller.
40-14-222.
Applicability; information required.
(a) For purposes of this part, consumer credit sale
includes the sale of an interest in land without regard to the
rate of the credit service charge if the sale is otherwise a
consumer credit sale (W.S. 40-14-204).
(b)
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
(c)
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
(d) The lessor shall disclose to the lessee to whom credit
is extended with respect to a consumer lease the information
required by this part.
(e)
Repealed By Laws 2013, Ch. 124, § 3.
(f) Disclosure and advertising of consumer credit shall be
made pursuant to the federal Consumer Credit Protection Act.
40-14-223.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-224.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-225.
Statement of rate.
(a)
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
(b)
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
(c)
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
(d)
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
(e) A statement of rate complies with this part if it does
not vary from the accurately computed rate by more than the
following tolerances:
(i) The annual percentage rate may be more or less
than the actual rate by not more than one-eighth of one percent
(.125%) or may be rounded to the nearest one-fourth of one
percent (.25%) for consumer credit sales payable in
substantially equal installments when a seller determines the
total credit service charge on the basis of a single add-on,
discount, periodic or other rate, and the rate is converted into
an annual percentage rate under procedures prescribed by rule by
the administrator;
(ii) The administrator may authorize by rule the use
of rate tables or charts which may provide for the disclosure of
annual percentage rates which vary from the rate determined in
accordance with paragraph (i) of this subsection by not more
than the tolerances the administrator may allow; the
administrator may not allow a tolerance greater than eight
percent (8%) of that rate except to simplify compliance where
irregular payments are involved; and
(iii) In case a seller determines the annual
percentage rate in a manner other than as described in paragraph
(i) or (ii) of this subsection, the administrator may authorize
by rule other reasonable tolerances.
40-14-226.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-227.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-228.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-229.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-230.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-231.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-232.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-233.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-234.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-235.
Scope.
This part applies to consumer credit sales and consumer leases.
40-14-236.
Use of multiple agreements.
A seller may not use multiple agreements with intent to obtain a
higher credit service charge than would otherwise be permitted
by this article or to avoid disclosure of an annual percentage
rate pursuant to the laws relating to disclosure and
advertising. The excess amount of credit service charge provided
for in agreements in violation of this section is an excess
charge for the purposes of the provisions on the effect of
violations on rights of parties (W.S. 40-14-521) and the
provisions on civil actions by administrator (W.S. 40-14-613).
40-14-237.
Certain negotiable instruments prohibited.
In a consumer credit sale or consumer lease the seller or lessor
may not take a negotiable instrument other than a check as
evidence of the obligation of the buyer or lessee. A holder is
not in good faith if he takes a negotiable instrument with
notice that it is issued in violation of this section. A holder
in due course is not subject to the liabilities set forth in the
provisions on the effect of violations on rights of parties
(W.S. 40-14-521) and the provisions on civil actions by
administrator (W.S. 40-14-613).
40-14-238.
When assignee not subject to defenses.
(a) With respect to a consumer credit sale or consumer
lease an agreement by the buyer or lessee not to assert against
an assignee a claim or defense arising out of the sale or lease
is enforceable only by an assignee not related to the seller or
lessor who acquires the buyer's or lessee's contract in good
faith and for value, who gives the buyer or lessee notice of the
assignment as provided in this section and who, within
forty-five (45) days after the mailing of the notice of
assignment, receives no written notice of the facts giving rise
to the buyer's or lessee's claim or defense. This agreement is
enforceable only with respect to claims or defenses which have
arisen before the end of the forty-five (45) day period after
notice was mailed. The notice of assignment shall be in writing
and addressed to the buyer or lessee at his address as stated in
the contract, identify the contract, describe the goods or
services, state the names of the seller or lessor and buyer or
lessee, the name and address of the assignee, the amount payable
by the buyer or lessee and the number, amounts and due dates of
the installments, and contain a conspicuous notice to the buyer
or lessee that he has forty-five (45) days within which to
notify the assignee in writing of any complaints, claims or
defenses he may have against the seller or lessor and that if
written notification of the complaints, claims or defenses is
not received by the assignee within the forty-five (45) day
period, the assignee will have the right to enforce the contract
free of any claims or defenses the buyer or lessee may have
against the seller or lessor which have arisen before the end of
the forty-five (45) day period after notice was mailed.
(b) An assignee does not acquire a buyer's or lessee's
contract in good faith within the meaning of subsection (a) of
this section if the assignee has knowledge or, from his course
of dealing with the seller or lessor or his records, notice of
substantial complaints by other buyers or lessees of the
seller's or lessor's failure or refusal to perform his contracts
with them and of the seller's or lessor's failure to remedy his
defaults within a reasonable time after the assignee notifies
him of the complaints.
(c) To the extent that under this section an assignee is
subject to claims or defenses of the buyer or lessee against the
seller or lessor, the assignee's liability under this section
may not exceed the amount owing to the assignee at the time the
claim or defense is asserted against the assignee and rights of
the buyer or lessee under this section can only be asserted as a
matter of defense to or setoff against a claim by the assignee.
40-14-239.
Balloon payments.
With respect to a consumer credit sale, other than one pursuant
to a revolving charge account, if any scheduled payment is more
than twice as large as the average of earlier scheduled
payments, the buyer has the right to refinance the amount of
that payment at the time it is due if the seller is still
offering that type of credit and the buyer is creditworthy.
Credit terms shall be as favorable as those offered to the
general public by the seller for the same type of sale at the
time a request for refinancing is approved. These provisions do
not apply to the extent that the payment schedule is adjusted to
the seasonal or irregular income of the buyer.
40-14-240.
Restriction on liability in consumer lease.
The obligation of a lessee upon expiration of a consumer lease
may not exceed twice the average payment allocable to a monthly
period under the lease. This limitation does not apply to
charges for damages to the leased property or for other default.
40-14-241.
Security in sales or leases.
(a) With respect to a consumer credit sale, a seller may
take a security interest in the property sold. In addition, a
seller may take a security interest in goods upon which services
are performed or in which goods sold are installed or to which
they are annexed, or in land to which the goods are affixed or
which is maintained, repaired or improved as a result of the
sale of the goods or services, if in the case of a security
interest in land the debt secured is one thousand dollars
($1,000.00) or more, or, in the case of a security interest in
goods the debt secured is three hundred dollars ($300.00) or
more. Except as provided with respect to cross-collateral (W.S.
40-14-242), a seller may not otherwise take a security interest
in property of the buyer to secure the debt arising from a
consumer credit sale.
(b) With respect to a consumer lease a lessor shall not
take a security interest in property of the lessee to secure the
debt arising from the lease. This subsection does not apply to a
security deposit for a consumer lease.
(c)
is void.
A security interest taken in violation of this section
40-14-242.
Cross-collateral.
(a) In addition to contracting for a security interest
pursuant to the provisions on security in sales or leases (W.S.
40-14-241), a seller in a consumer credit sale may secure the
debt arising from the sale by contracting for a security
interest in other property if as a result of a prior sale the
seller has an existing security interest in the other property.
The seller may also contract for a security interest in the
property sold in the subsequent sale as security for the
previous debt.
(b) If the seller contracts for a security interest in
other property pursuant to this section, the rate of credit
service charge thereafter on the aggregate unpaid balances so
secured may not exceed that permitted if the balances so secured
were consolidated pursuant to the provisions on consolidation
involving a refinancing (W.S. 40-14-217(a)(i)). The seller has a
reasonable time after so contracting to make any adjustments
required by this section. "Seller" in this section does not
include an assignee not related to the original seller.
40-14-243.
Debt secured by cross-collateral.
(a) If debts arising from two (2) or more consumer credit
sales, other than sales pursuant to a revolving charge account,
are secured by cross-collateral (W.S. 40-14-242) or consolidated
into one (1) debt payable on a single schedule of payments, and
the debt is secured by security interests taken with respect to
one (1) or more of the sales, payments received by the seller
after the taking of the cross-collateral or the consolidation
are deemed, for the purpose of determining the amount of the
debt secured by the various security interests, to have been
first applied to the payment of the debts arising from the sales
first made. To the extent debts are paid according to this
section, security interests in items of property terminate as
the debts originally incurred with respect to each item are
paid.
(b) Payments received by the seller upon a revolving
charge account are deemed, for the purpose of determining the
amount of the debt secured by the various security interests, to
have been applied first to the payment of credit service charges
in the order of their entry to the account and then to the
payment of debts in the order in which the entries to the
account showing the debts were made.
(c) If the debts consolidated arose from two (2) or more
sales made on the same day, payments received by the seller are
deemed, for the purpose of determining the amount of the debt
secured by the various security interests, to have been applied
first to the payment of the smallest debt.
40-14-244.
No assignment of earnings.
(a) A seller or lessor may not take an assignment of
earnings of the buyer or lessee for payment or as security for
payment of a debt arising out of a consumer credit sale or a
consumer lease. An assignment of earnings in violation of this
section is unenforceable by the assignee of the earnings and
revocable by the buyer or lessee. This section does not prohibit
an employee from authorizing deductions from his earnings if the
authorization is revocable.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing prohibition, a seller or
lessor may take an assignment of commissions or accounts
receivable payable to the buyer or lessee for services rendered
for payment or as security for payment of a debt arising out of
a consumer lease.
40-14-245.
Referral sales.
With respect to a consumer credit sale or consumer lease the
seller or lessor may not give or offer to give a rebate or
discount or otherwise pay or offer to pay value to the buyer or
lessee as an inducement for a sale or lease in consideration of
his giving to the seller or lessor the names of prospective
purchasers or lessees, or otherwise aiding the seller or lessor
in making a sale or lease to another person, if the earning of
the rebate, discount or other value is contingent upon the
occurrence of an event subsequent to the time the buyer or
lessee agrees to buy or lease. If a buyer or lessee is induced
by a violation of this section to enter into a consumer credit
sale or consumer lease, the agreement is unenforceable by the
seller or lessor and the buyer or lessee, at his option, may
rescind the agreement or retain the goods delivered and the
benefit of any services performed, without any obligation to pay
for them.
40-14-246.
Notice of assignment.
The buyer or lessee is authorized to pay the original seller or
lessor until the buyer or lessee receives notification of
assignment of the rights to payment pursuant to a consumer
credit sale or consumer lease and that payment is to be made to
the assignee. A notification which does not reasonably identify
the rights assigned is ineffective. If requested by the buyer or
lessee, the assignee must seasonably furnish reasonable proof
that the assignment has been made and unless he does so the
buyer or lessee may pay the seller or lessor.
40-14-247.
Attorney's fees.
With respect to a consumer credit sale or consumer lease the
agreement may provide for the payment by the buyer or lessee of
reasonable attorney's fees after default and referral to an
attorney not a salaried employee of the seller, or of the lessor
or his assignee. A provision in violation of this section is
unenforceable.
40-14-248.
Limitation on default charges.
Except for reasonable expenses incurred in realizing on a
security interest, the agreement with respect to a consumer
credit sale may not provide for any charges as a result of
default by the buyer other than those authorized by this act. A
provision in violation of this section is unenforceable.
40-14-249.
Authorization to confess judgment prohibited.
A buyer or lessee may not authorize any person to confess
judgment on a claim arising out of a consumer credit sale or
consumer lease. An authorization in violation of this section is
void.
40-14-250.
Change in terms of revolving charge accounts.
(a) If a seller makes a change in the terms of a revolving
charge account without complying with this section any
additional cost or charge to the buyer resulting from the change
is an excess charge and subject to the remedies available to
debtors (W.S. 40-14-521) and to the administrator (W.S.
40-14-613).
(b) A seller may change the terms of the revolving charge
account whether or not the change is authorized by prior
agreement. Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section,
the seller shall give to the buyer written notice of any change
at least three (3) times, with the first notice at least six (6)
months before the effective date of the change.
(c) The notice specified in subsection (b) of this section
is not required if notice of any proposed change in the terms of
a revolving charge account is given to the customer at least
thirty (30) days prior to the effective date of such change or
thirty (30) days prior to the beginning of the billing cycle
within which such change will become effective, whichever is the
earlier date, and if:
(i) The buyer after receiving notice of the change
agrees in writing to the change;
(ii) The buyer elects to pay an amount designated on
a billing statement as including a new charge for a benefit
offered to the buyer when the benefit and charge constitute the
change in terms and when the billing statement also states the
amount payable if the new charge is excluded;
(iii)
The change involves no significant cost to the
buyer;
(iv) The buyer has previously consented in writing to
the kind of change made and notice of the change is given to the
buyer in two (2) billing cycles prior to the effective date of
the change; or
(v) The change applies only to purchases made or
obligations incurred after a date specified in a notice of the
change given in two (2) billing cycles prior to the effective
date of the change.
(d) The notice provided for in this section is given to
the buyer when mailed to him at the address used by the seller
for sending periodic billing statements.
40-14-251.
Definition.
(a) "Home solicitation sale" means a consumer credit sale
of goods or services with a purchase price of twenty-five
dollars ($25.00) or more written under single or multiple
contracts, in which the seller or a person acting for him
engages in a personal solicitation of the sale including
face-to-face confrontation or telephone solicitation, at a place
other than the place of business of the seller and the buyer's
agreement or offer to purchase is there given to the seller or a
person acting for him.
(b)
"Home solicitation sale" shall not include:
(i) A sale consummated entirely by telephone or mail
if initiated by the buyer;
(ii) A sale made pursuant to a preexisting revolving
charge account; or
(iii) A sale made pursuant to prior negotiations
between the parties at a business establishment with a fixed
location where goods or services are offered or exhibited for
sale.
40-14-252.
Buyer's right to cancel.
(a) Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section,
in addition to any right otherwise to revoke an offer, the buyer
has the right to cancel a home solicitation sale until midnight
of the third business day after the day on which the buyer signs
an agreement or offer to purchase which complies with this part.
(b) Cancellation occurs when the buyer gives written
notice of cancellation to the seller at the address stated in
the agreement or offer to purchase.
(c) Notice of cancellation, if given by mail, is given
when it is deposited in a mailbox properly addressed and postage
prepaid.
(d) Notice of cancellation given by the buyer need not
take a particular form and is sufficient if it indicates by any
form of written expression the intention of the buyer not to be
bound by the home solicitation sale.
(e) The buyer may not cancel a home solicitation sale if
the buyer requests the seller to provide goods or services
without delay because of an emergency, and:
(i) The seller in good faith makes a substantial
beginning of performance of the contract before the buyer gives
notice of cancellation; and
(ii) In the case of goods, the goods cannot be
returned to the seller in substantially as good condition as
when received by the buyer.
(f) If a home solicitation sale is also subject to the
provisions on debtor's right to rescind certain transactions
(W.S. 40-14-523), the buyer may proceed either under those
provisions or under this part.
40-14-253. Form of agreement or offer; statement of
buyer's rights; form of notice of cancellation; compliance by
seller.
(a) In a home solicitation sale, unless the buyer requests
the seller to provide goods or services without delay in an
emergency, the seller shall:
(i) Present to the buyer and obtain his signature to
a written agreement or offer to purchase which:
(A) Is in the same language as that principally
used in the oral sales presentation;
(B) Designates the date on which the buyer
actually signs as the date of the transaction;
(C)
Contains the name and address of the seller;
and
(D) In immediate proximity to the space reserved
for the buyer's signature, contains a statement of the buyer's
rights which substantially complies with subsection (b) of this
section.
(ii) Provide a notice of cancellation form which
substantially complies with subsection (c) of this section.
(b)
The statement of the buyer's rights shall:
(i) Appear under the conspicuous caption "Buyer's
right to cancel";
(ii) Be printed in boldface type of a minimum size of
ten (10) points; and
(iii) Read as follows: "You, the buyer, may cancel
this transaction at any time prior to 12:00 midnight of the
third business day after the date of this transaction. See the
attached notice of cancellation form for an explanation of this
right.".
(c)
The notice of cancellation form shall:
(i)
(ii)
cancellation";
Be completed in duplicate;
Appear under the conspicuous caption "Notice of
(iii) Be printed in boldface type of a minimum size
of ten (10) points;
(iv) Be printed in the same language used in the
written agreement or offer to purchase;
(v) Be attached to the written agreement or offer to
purchase and be easily detachable; and
(vi)
Read as follows:
"You may cancel this transaction without any penalty or
obligation within three (3) business days from .... (enter date
of transaction). If you cancel, any property traded in, any
payments made by you under the contract or sale and any
negotiable instrument executed by you will be returned within
ten (10) business days following receipt by the seller of your
cancellation notice. Any security interest arising out of the
transaction will be cancelled.
If you cancel, you must make available to the seller at
your residence, in substantially as good condition as when
received, any goods delivered to you under this contract or
sale, or you may if you wish comply with the instructions of the
seller regarding the return shipment of the goods at the
seller's expense and risk.
If you do make the goods available to the seller and the
seller does not pick them up within twenty (20) days of the date
of your notice of cancellation, you may retain or dispose of the
goods without any further obligation. If you fail to make the
goods available to the seller, or if you agree to return the
goods to the seller and fail to do so, then you remain liable
for performance of all obligations under the contract.
To cancel this transaction, mail or deliver a signed and
dated copy of this cancellation notice or any other written
notice, or send a telegram, to .... (name of seller), at ....
(address of seller's place of business) not later than 12:00
midnight of .... (date).
I hereby cancel this transaction.
...........................
..............................
(Date)
(Buyer's signature)"
(d) Until the seller has complied with this section, the
buyer may cancel the home solicitation sale by notifying the
seller of his intention to cancel.
40-14-254.
by buyer.
Restoration of down payment; retention of goods
(a) Within ten (10) days after a home solicitation sale
has been cancelled or an offer to purchase revoked, the seller
shall tender to the buyer any goods traded in, any payments made
by the buyer and any note or other evidence of indebtedness.
(b) If the down payment includes goods traded in, the
goods must be tendered in substantially as good condition as
when received by the seller. If the seller fails to tender the
goods as provided by this section, the buyer may elect to
recover an amount equal to the trade-in allowance stated in the
agreement.
(c)
Repealed by Laws 1979, ch. 117, § 2.
(d) Until the seller has complied with the obligations
imposed by this section the buyer may retain possession of goods
delivered to him by the seller and has a lien on the goods in
his possession or control for any recovery to which he is
entitled.
40-14-255. Duty of buyer; no compensation for services
prior to cancellation; noncompliance by buyer.
(a) Except retention of goods by the buyer pursuant to
W.S. 40-14-254(d), within a reasonable time after a home
solicitation sale has been cancelled or an offer to purchase
revoked, the buyer upon demand shall tender to the seller any
goods delivered by the seller pursuant to the sale. The buyer is
not obligated to tender at any place other than his residence.
If the seller fails to demand possession of goods within a
reasonable time after cancellation or revocation, the goods
become the property of the buyer without obligation to pay. For
the purpose of this section, twenty (20) days is presumed to be
a reasonable time.
(b) The buyer has a duty to take reasonable care of the
goods in his possession before cancellation or revocation and
for a reasonable time thereafter, during which time the goods
are otherwise at the seller's risk.
(c) If the seller has performed any services pursuant to a
home solicitation sale prior to its cancellation, the seller is
entitled to no compensation.
(d) If the buyer fails to comply with this section or
agrees to return any goods to the seller at the seller's expense
and risk and fails to do so, the buyer remains liable for
performance of all obligations under the written agreement or
offer to purchase.
40-14-256.
parties.
Sales subject to provisions by agreement of
The parties to a sale other than a consumer credit sale may
agree in a writing signed by the parties that the sale is
subject to the provisions of this act applying to consumer
credit sales. If the parties so agree the sale is a consumer
credit sale for the purposes of this act.
40-14-257.
Definition.
(a) A "consumer related sale" is a sale of goods,
services, or an interest in land which is not subject to the
provisions of this act applying to consumer credit sales and in
which the amount financed does not exceed seventy-five thousand
dollars ($75,000.00) if:
(i)
The buyer is a person other than an organization;
or
(ii) The debt is secured primarily by a security
interest in a one (1) or two (2) family dwelling occupied by a
person related to the debtor.
(b) With respect to a consumer related sale not made
pursuant to a revolving charge account, the parties may contract
for the payment by the buyer of an amount comprising the amount
financed and a credit service charge not in excess of twenty-one
percent (21%) per year calculated according to the actuarial
method on the unpaid balances of the amount financed.
(c) With respect to a consumer related sale made pursuant
to a revolving charge account, the parties may contract for the
payment of a credit service charge not in excess of that
permitted by the provisions on credit service charge for
revolving charge accounts (W.S. 40-14-218).
40-14-258.
related sales.
Applicability of other provisions to consumer
Except for the rate of the credit service charge and the rights
to prepay and to rebate upon prepayment, the provisions of part
2 of this article apply to a consumer related sale.
40-14-259.
related sales.
Limitation on default charges in consumer
(a) The agreement with respect to a consumer related sale
may provide for only the following charges as a result of the
buyer's default:
(i) Reasonable attorney's fees and reasonable
expenses incurred in realizing on a security interest;
(ii) Deferral charges not in excess of eighteen
percent (18%) per year of the amount deferred for the period of
deferral; and
(iii) Other charges that could have been made had the
sale been a consumer credit sale.
(b) A provision in violation of this section is
unenforceable.
40-14-260.
Credit service charge for other sales.
With respect to a sale other than a consumer credit sale or a
consumer related sale, the parties may contract for the payment
by the buyer of any credit service charge.
40-14-261.
provisions.
Definitions; prohibited assignments; applicable
(a) "Sales financing" means being primarily engaged in the
business of taking by assignment or financing in behalf of
sellers or lessors, rights against debtors arising from consumer
credit sales or consumer leases and undertaking direct
collection of payment from or enforcement of rights against
debtors arising from these sales or leases which at the time of
assignment the buyer or lessee is not in default.
(b) "Sales finance company" means a person or organization
engaged in the business of sales financing.
(c) Unless a person has first obtained a license from the
administrator authorizing him to take assignments of and
undertake direct collection of payments from or enforcement of
rights against debtors arising from sales and leases, not in
default at time of assignment, he shall not engage in the
business of taking such assignments.
(d)
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 86, § 3.
ARTICLE 3
LOANS
40-14-301.
Short title.
This article shall be known and may be cited as "Uniform
Consumer Credit Code-Loans."
40-14-302.
Scope.
This article applies to consumer loans, including supervised
loans; in addition part 6 applies to consumer related loans.
40-14-303.
Definitions.
(a) The following definitions apply to this act and appear
in this article as follows:
(i)
Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 116, § 2.
(ii)
"Consumer loan"-W.S. 40-14-304;
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
"Consumer related loan"-W.S. 40-14-355(a);
Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 116, § 2.
"Lender"-W.S. 40-14-307(a);
(vi)
"Loan"-W.S. 40-14-306;
(vii)
"Loan finance charge"-W.S. 40-14-309;
(viii) "Loan primarily secured by an interest in
land"-W.S. 40-14-305;
(ix)
(x)
"Precomputed"-W.S. 40-14-307(b);
"Principal"-W.S. 40-14-307(c);
(xi)
"Revolving loan account"-W.S. 40-14-308;
(xii)
(xiii)
40-14-304.
"Supervised lender"-W.S. 40-14-341(b);
"Supervised loan"-W.S. 40-14-341(a).
Definition of "consumer loan".
(a) Except with respect to a loan primarily secured by an
interest in land, "consumer loan" is a loan made by a person
regularly engaged in the business of making loans in which:
(i)
organization;
The debtor is a person other than an
(ii) The debt is incurred primarily for a personal,
family or household purpose;
(iii) Either the debt is payable in installments or a
loan finance charge is made; and
(iv) Either the principal does not exceed seventyfive thousand dollars ($75,000.00) or the debt is secured by an
interest in land or a dwelling, as defined in W.S.
40-14-640(a)(iv), located in Wyoming.
(b)
Repealed by Laws 1981, ch. 147, § 2.
40-14-305. Loan primarily secured by an interest in land;
definitions; limited to first mortgage loan.
(a) Unless the loan is made subject to this act by
agreement as provided by W.S. 40-14-354 and except as provided
by W.S. 40-14-320 with respect to disclosure and by W.S.
40-14-520 with respect to debtors' remedies, "consumer loan"
does not include a "loan primarily secured by an interest in
land" if:
(i) At the time the loan is made the value of this
collateral is substantial in relation to the amount of the loan;
and
(ii) The loan finance charge does not exceed eighteen
percent (18%) per year calculated according to the actuarial
method on the unpaid balances of the principal on the assumption
that the debt will be paid according to the agreed terms and
will not be paid before the end of the agreed term.
(b) For purposes of this section, "loan primarily secured
by an interest in land" is limited to a first mortgage loan
which is not precomputed.
40-14-306.
(a)
Definition of "loan".
"Loan" includes:
(i) The creation of debt by the lender's payment of
or agreement to pay money to the debtor or to a third party for
the account of the debtor;
(ii) The creation of debt by a credit to an account
with the lender upon which the debtor is entitled to draw
immediately;
(iii) The creation of debt pursuant to a lender
credit card or similar arrangement; and
(iv)
40-14-307.
The forbearance of debt arising from a loan.
Additional definitions.
(a) Except as otherwise provided, "lender" includes an
assignee of the lender's right to payment but use of the term
does not in itself impose on an assignee any obligation of the
lender with respect to events occurring before the assignment.
(b) A loan, refinancing, or consolidation is "precomputed"
if the debt is expressed as a sum comprising the principal and
the amount of the loan finance charge computed in advance.
(c)
"Principal" of a loan means the total of:
(i) The net amount paid to, receivable by, or paid or
payable for the account of the debtor;
(ii) The amount of any discount excluded from the
loan finance charge (W.S. 40-14-309(b)); and
(iii)
To the extent that payment is deferred:
(A) Amounts actually paid or to be paid by the
lender for registration, certificate of title or license fees if
not included in paragraph (i) of this subsection; and
(B)
(W.S. 40-14-311).
40-14-308.
Additional charges permitted by this article
Definition of "revolving loan account".
(a) "Revolving loan account" means an arrangement between
a lender and a debtor pursuant to which:
(i) The lender may permit the debtor to obtain loans
from time to time;
(ii) The unpaid balances of principal and the loan
finance and other appropriate charges are debited to an account;
(iii) A loan finance charge if made is not
precomputed but is computed on the outstanding unpaid balances
of the debtor's account from time to time; and
(iv) Either the debtor has the privilege of paying in
full or in installments or the lender periodically imposes
charges computed on the account for delaying payment and permits
the debtor to continue to obtain loans.
40-14-309.
(a)
Definition of "loan finance charge".
"Loan finance charge" means the sum of:
(i) All charges payable directly or indirectly by the
debtor and imposed directly or indirectly by the lender as a
condition of or an incident to the extension of credit,
including any of the following types of charges which are
applicable: interest or any amount payable under a point,
discount, or other system of charges, however denominated,
premium or other charge for any guarantee or insurance
protecting the lender against the debtor's default or other
credit loss; and
(ii) Charges incurred for investigating the
collateral or credit-worthiness of the debtor or for commissions
or brokerage for obtaining the credit, irrespective of the
person to whom the charges are paid or payable, unless the
lender had no notice of the charges when the loan was made.
(b) The term does not include charges as a result of
default, additional charges (W.S. 40-14-311), delinquency
charges (W.S. 40-14-312), deferral charges (W.S. 40-14-313) or
reasonable credit application fees whether or not credit is
extended.
(c) If a lender makes a loan to a debtor by purchasing or
satisfying obligations of the debtor pursuant to a lender credit
card or similar arrangement, and the purchase or satisfaction is
made at less than the face amount of the obligation, the
discount is not part of the loan finance charge.
40-14-310. Loan finance charge for consumer loans other
than supervised loans.
(a) With respect to a consumer loan other than a
supervised loan (W.S. 40-14-341), a lender may contract for and
receive a loan finance charge, calculated according to the
actuarial method, not exceeding ten percent (10%) per year on
the unpaid balances of the principal.
(b) This section does not limit or restrict the manner of
contracting for the loan finance charge, whether by way of
add-on, discount, or otherwise, so long as the rate of the loan
finance charge does not exceed that permitted by this section.
If the loan is precomputed:
(i) The loan finance charge may be calculated on the
assumption that all scheduled payments will be made when due;
and
(ii) The effect of prepayment is governed by the
provisions on rebate upon prepayment (W.S. 40-14-319).
(c) For the purposes of this section, the term of a loan
commences with the date the loan is made. Differences in the
lengths of months are disregarded and a day may be counted as
one-thirtieth of a month. Subject to classifications and
differentiations the lender may reasonably establish, a part of
a month in excess of fifteen (15) days may be treated as a full
month if periods of fifteen (15) days or less are disregarded
and if that procedure is not consistently used to obtain a
greater yield than would otherwise be permitted.
(d) With respect to a consumer loan made pursuant to a
revolving loan account:
(i) The loan finance charge shall be deemed not to
exceed ten percent (10%) per year if the loan finance charge
contracted for and received does not exceed a charge in each
monthly billing cycle which is five-sixths of one percent of an
amount no greater than:
(A)
The average daily balance of the debt;
(B) The unpaid balance of the debt on the same
day of the billing cycle; or
(C) Subject to subsection (e) of this section,
the median amount within a specified range within which the
average daily balance or the unpaid balance of the debt, on the
same day of the billing cycle, is included; for the purposes of
this paragraph and subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, a
variation of not more than four (4) days from month to month is
"the same day of the billing cycle".
(ii) If the billing cycle is not monthly, the loan
finance charge shall be deemed not to exceed ten percent (10%)
per year if the loan finance charge contracted for and received
does not exceed a percentage which bears the same relation to
five-sixths of one percent as the number of days in the billing
cycle bears to thirty (30); and
(iii) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section,
if there is an unpaid balance on the date as of which the loan
finance charge is applied, the lender may contract for and
receive a charge not exceeding fifty cents ($.50) if the billing
cycle is monthly or longer, or the pro rata part of fifty cents
($.50) which bears the same relation to fifty cents ($.50) as
the number of days in the billing cycle bears to thirty (30) if
the billing cycle is shorter than monthly, but no charge may be
made pursuant to this paragraph if the lender has made an annual
charge for the same period as permitted by the provisions on
additional charges (W.S. 40-14-311(a)(iii)).
(e) Subject to classifications and differentiations the
lender may reasonably establish, he may make the same loan
finance charge on all amounts financed within a specified range.
A loan finance charge so made does not violate subsection (a) of
this section if:
(i) When applied to the median amount within each
range, it does not exceed the maximum permitted by subsection
(a) of this section; and
(ii) When applied to the lowest amount within each
range, it does not produce a rate of loan finance charge
exceeding the rate calculated according to paragraph (i) of this
subsection by more than eight percent (8%) of the rate
calculated according to paragraph (i) of this subsection.
(f) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, and
except as provided for pawnbrokers in W.S. 40-14-360(f) and
post-dated check cashers in W.S. 40-14-363, the lender may
contract for and receive a minimum loan finance charge of not
more than thirty dollars ($30.00).
40-14-311.
Additional charges.
(a) In addition to the loan finance charge permitted by
this article, a lender may contract for and receive the
following additional charges in connection with a consumer loan:
(i)
Official fees and taxes;
(ii) Charges for insurance as described in subsection
(b) of this section;
(iii) Annual charges, payable in advance, for the
privilege of using a lender credit card or similar arrangement
which entitles the user to purchase goods or services from at
least one hundred (100) persons not related to the issuer of the
lender credit card or similar arrangement, under an arrangement
pursuant to which the debts resulting from the purchases are
payable to the issuer;
(iv) Charges excluded from the loan finance charge by
the federal Consumer Credit Protection Act or by rule adopted by
the administrator.
(b) An additional charge may be made for insurance written
in connection with the loan, other than insurance protecting the
lender against the debtor's default or other credit loss:
(i) With respect to insurance against loss of or
damage to property, or against liability, if the lender
furnishes a clear and specific statement in writing to the
debtor, setting forth the cost of the insurance if obtained from
or through the lender, and stating that the debtor may choose
the person through whom the insurance is to be obtained;
(ii) With respect to consumer credit insurance
providing life, accident, or health coverage, if the insurance
coverage is not a factor in the approval by the lender of the
extension of credit, and this fact is clearly disclosed in
writing to the debtor, and if, in order to obtain the insurance
in connection with the extension of credit, the debtor gives
specific affirmative written indication of his desire to do so
after written disclosure to him of the cost thereof.
(iii)
Repealed By Laws 2013, Ch. 124, § 3.
(c) Reasonable closing costs (W.S. 40-14-140(a)(v)) are
additional charges.
40-14-312.
Delinquency charges.
(a) With respect to a consumer loan, refinancing, or
consolidation, the parties may contract for a delinquency charge
on any installment not paid in full within ten (10) days after
its scheduled due date in an amount not exceeding the greater
of:
(i) Five percent (5%) of the unpaid amount of the
installment; or
(ii)
Ten dollars ($10.00).
(b) A delinquency charge under paragraph (a)(i) of this
section may be collected only once on an installment however
long it remains in default. No delinquency charge may be
collected if the installment has been deferred and a deferral
charge (W.S. 40-14-313) has been paid or incurred until ten (10)
days after the deferred due date. A delinquency charge may be
collected at the time it accrues or at any time thereafter.
(c) No delinquency charge may be collected on an
installment which is paid in full within ten (10) days after its
scheduled installment due date even though an earlier maturing
installment or a delinquency charge on an earlier installment
may not have been paid in full. For purposes of this subsection
payments are applied first to current installments and then to
delinquent installments.
(d) If two (2) installments or parts thereof of a
precomputed loan are in default for ten (10) days or more, the
lender may elect to convert the loan from a precomputed loan to
one in which the loan finance charge is based on unpaid
balances. In this event he shall make a rebate pursuant to the
provisions on rebate upon prepayment (W.S. 40-14-319) as of the
maturity date of the first delinquent installment, and
thereafter may make a loan finance charge as authorized by the
provisions on loan finance charge for consumer loans (W.S.
40-14-310) or the provisions on loan finance charge for
supervised loans (W.S. 40-14-348), whichever is appropriate. The
amount of the rebate shall not be reduced by the amount of any
permitted minimum charge (W.S. 40-14-319). If the lender
proceeds under this subsection, any delinquency or deferral
charges made with respect to installments due at or after the
maturity date of the first delinquent installment shall be
rebated, and no further delinquency or deferral charges shall be
made.
40-14-313.
Deferral charges.
(a) With respect to a consumer loan, refinancing, or
consolidation, the parties before or after default may agree in
writing to a deferral of all or part of one (1) or more unpaid
installments, and the lender may make and collect a charge which
the debtor expressly agrees to pay as consideration for a
deferral. A deferral charge may be collected at the time it is
assessed or at any time thereafter.
(b) The lender, in addition to the deferral charge, may
make appropriate additional charges (W.S. 40-14-311), and the
amount of these charges which is not paid in cash may be added
to the amount deferred for the purpose of calculating the
deferral charge.
(c) Except in connection with a revolving loan account,
the parties may agree in writing at the time of a consumer loan,
refinancing, or consolidation that if an installment is not paid
within ten (10) days after its due date, the lender may
unilaterally grant a deferral and make charges as provided in
this section. No deferral charge may be made for a period after
the date that the lender elects to accelerate the maturity of
the agreement.
(d) A delinquency charge made by the lender on an
installment may not be retained if a deferral charge is made
pursuant to this section with respect to the period of
delinquency.
40-14-314.
Loan finance charge on refinancing.
(a) With respect to a consumer loan, refinancing, or
consolidation, the lender may by agreement with the debtor
refinance the unpaid balance and may contract for and receive a
loan finance charge based on the principal resulting from the
refinancing at a rate not exceeding that permitted by the
provisions on loan finance charge for consumer loans (W.S.
40-14-310) or the provisions on loan finance charge for
supervised loans (W.S. 40-14-348), whichever is appropriate. For
the purpose of determining the loan finance charge permitted,
the principal resulting from the refinancing comprises the
following:
(i) If the transaction was not precomputed, the total
of the unpaid balance and the accrued charges on the date of the
refinancing, or, if the transaction was precomputed, the amount
which the debtor would have been required to pay upon prepayment
pursuant to the provisions on rebate upon prepayment (W.S.
40-14-319) on the date of refinancing, except that for the
purpose of computing this amount no minimum charge (W.S.
40-14-319) shall be allowed; and
(ii) Appropriate additional charges (W.S. 40-14-311),
payment of which is deferred.
40-14-315.
Loan finance charge on consolidation.
(a) If a debtor owes an unpaid balance to a lender with
respect to a consumer loan, refinancing, or consolidation, and
becomes obligated on another consumer loan, refinancing, or
consolidation with the same lender, the parties may agree to a
consolidation resulting in a single schedule of payments. If the
previous consumer loan, refinancing, or consolidation was not
precomputed, the parties may agree to add the unpaid amount of
principal and accrued charges on the date of consolidation to
the principal with respect to the subsequent loan. If the
previous consumer loan, refinancing, or consolidation was
precomputed, the parties may agree to refinance the unpaid
balance pursuant to the provisions on refinancing (W.S.
40-14-314) and to consolidate the principal resulting from the
refinancing by adding it to the principal with respect to the
subsequent loan. In either case the lender may contract for and
receive a loan finance charge based on the aggregate principal
resulting from the consolidation at a rate not in excess of that
permitted by the provisions on loan finance charge for consumer
loans (W.S. 40-14-310) or the provisions on loan finance charge
for supervised loans (W.S. 40-14-348), whichever is appropriate.
(b) The parties may agree to consolidate the unpaid
balance of a consumer loan with the unpaid balance of a consumer
credit sale. The parties may agree to refinance the previous
unpaid balance pursuant to the provisions on refinancing sales
(W.S. 40-14-216) or the provisions on refinancing loans (W.S.
40-14-314), whichever is appropriate, and to consolidate the
amount financed resulting from the refinancing or the principal
resulting from the refinancing by adding it to the amount
financed or principal with respect to the subsequent sale or
loan. The aggregate amount resulting from the consolidation
shall be deemed principal, and the creditor may contract for and
receive a loan finance charge based on the principal at a rate
not in excess of that permitted by the provisions on loan
finance charge for consumer loans (W.S. 40-14-310) or the
provisions on loan finance charge for supervised loans (W.S.
40-14-348), whichever is appropriate.
40-14-316.
Conversion to revolving loan account.
(a) The parties may agree to add to a revolving loan
account the unpaid balance of a consumer loan, not made pursuant
to a revolving loan account, or a refinancing, or consolidation
thereof, or the unpaid balance of a consumer credit sale,
refinancing or consolidation. For the purpose of this section:
(i) The unpaid balance of a consumer loan,
refinancing, or consolidation is an amount equal to the
principal determined according to the provisions on refinancing
(W.S. 40-14-314); and
(ii) The unpaid balance of a consumer credit sale,
refinancing, or consolidation is an amount equal to the amount
financed determined according to the provisions on refinancing
(W.S. 40-14-216).
40-14-317.
Advances to perform covenants of debtor.
(a) If the agreement with respect to a consumer loan,
refinancing, or consolidation contains covenants by the debtor
to perform certain duties pertaining to insuring or preserving
collateral and if the lender pursuant to the agreement pays for
performance of the duties on behalf of the debtor, the lender
may add the amounts paid to the debt. Within a reasonable time
after advancing any sums, he shall state to the debtor in
writing the amount of the sums advanced, any charges with
respect to this amount, and any revised payment schedule and, if
the duties of the debtor performed by the lender pertain to
insurance, a brief description of the insurance paid for by the
lender including the type and amount of coverages. No further
information need be given.
(b) A loan finance charge may be made for sums advanced
pursuant to subsection (a) of this section at a rate not
exceeding the rate stated to the debtor pursuant to the laws
relating to disclosure with respect to the loan, refinancing, or
consolidation, except that with respect to a revolving loan
account the amount of the advance may be added to the unpaid
balance of the debt and the lender may make a loan finance
charge not exceeding that permitted by the provisions on loan
finance charge for consumer loans (W.S. 40-14-310) or for
supervised loans (W.S. 40-14-348), whichever is appropriate.
40-14-318.
Right to prepay.
Subject to the provisions on rebate upon prepayment (W.S.
40-14-319), the debtor may prepay in full the unpaid balance of
a consumer loan, refinancing, or consolidation at any time
without penalty.
40-14-319.
Rebate upon prepayment.
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section,
upon prepayment in full of the unpaid balance of a precomputed
consumer loan, refinancing or consolidation, the unearned loan
finance charge shall be refunded based on the Rule of 78's if
the transaction under its original terms did not exceed
sixty-one (61) monthly installments and upon the actuarial
method, if the transaction by its original terms exceeded
sixty-one (61) monthly installments. An amount not less than the
unearned portion of the loan finance charge calculated according
to this section shall be rebated to the debtor. With respect to
irregular payment transactions, the administrator may prescribe
by rule the refund formula. If the rebate otherwise required is
less than one dollar ($1.00), no rebate need be made.
(b) Upon prepayment in full of a consumer loan, other than
one pursuant to a revolving loan account, a refinancing or
consolidation, whether or not precomputed, the lender may
collect or retain a minimum loan finance charge within the
limits stated in W.S. 40-14-310(f).
(c) If a deferral (W.S. 40-14-313) has been agreed to, the
unearned portion of the loan finance charge shall be computed
without regard to the deferral. The amount of deferral charge
earned at the date of prepayment shall also be calculated. If
the deferral charge earned is less than the deferral charge
paid, the difference shall be added to the unearned portion of
the loan finance charge. If any part of a deferral charge has
been earned but has not been paid, that part shall be subtracted
from the unearned portion of the loan finance charge or shall be
added to the unpaid balance.
(d) This section does not preclude the collection or
retention by the lender of delinquency charges (W.S. 40-14-312).
(e) If the maturity is accelerated for any reason and
judgment is obtained, the debtor is entitled to the same rebate
as if the payment had been made on the date judgment is entered.
(f) Upon prepayment in full of a consumer loan by the
proceeds of consumer credit insurance (W.S. 40-14-403), the
debtor or his estate is entitled to the same rebate as though
the debtor had prepaid the agreement on the date the proceeds of
the insurance are paid to the lender, but no later than ten (10)
business days after satisfactory proof of loss is furnished to
the lender.
40-14-320.
Applicability; information required.
(a) For purposes of this part, consumer loan includes a
loan secured primarily by an interest in land without regard to
the rate of the loan finance charge if the loan is otherwise a
consumer loan (W.S. 40-14-304).
(b)
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
(c)
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
(d)
Repealed By Laws 2013, Ch. 124, § 3.
(e) Disclosure and advertising of consumer credit shall be
made pursuant to the federal Consumer Credit Protection Act.
40-14-321.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-322.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-323.
Statement of rate.
(a)
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
(b)
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
(c)
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
(d)
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
(e) A statement of rate complies with this part if it does
not vary from the accurately computed rate by more than the
following tolerances:
(i) The annual percentage rate may be more or less
than the actual rate by not more than one-eighth of one percent
(.125%) or may be rounded to the nearest one-fourth of one
percent (.25%) for consumer loans payable in substantially equal
installments when a lender determines the total loan finance
charge on the basis of a single add-on, discount, periodic or
other rate, and the rate is converted into an annual percentage
rate under procedures prescribed by rule by the administrator;
(ii) The administrator may authorize by rule the use
of rate tables or charts which may provide for the disclosure of
annual percentage rates which vary from the rate determined in
accordance with paragraph (i) of this subsection by not more
than the tolerances the administrator may allow; the
administrator may not allow a tolerance greater than eight
percent (8%) of that rate except to simplify compliance where
irregular payments are involved; and
(iii) In case a lender determines the annual
percentage rate in a manner other than as described in paragraph
(i) or (ii) of this subsection, the administrator may authorize
by rule other reasonable tolerances.
40-14-324.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-325.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-326.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-327.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-328.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-329.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-330.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-331.
Repealed by Laws 1982, ch. 61, § 2.
40-14-332.
Scope.
This part applies to consumer loans.
40-14-333.
Balloon payments.
With respect to a consumer loan, other than one pursuant to a
revolving loan account, if any scheduled payment is more than
twice as large as the average of earlier scheduled payments, the
debtor has the right to refinance the amount of that payment at
the time it is due if the creditor is still offering that type
of credit and the debtor is credit worthy. Credit terms shall
be as favorable as those offered to the general public by the
creditor for the same type of credit at the time a request for
refinancing is approved. These provisions do not apply to the
extent that the payment schedule is adjusted to the seasonal or
irregular income of the debtor.
40-14-334.
No assignment of earnings.
(a) A lender may not take an assignment of earnings of the
debtor for payment or as security for payment of a debt arising
out of a consumer loan. An assignment of earnings in violation
of this section is unenforceable by the assignee of the earnings
and revocable by the debtor. This section does not prohibit an
employee from authorizing deductions from his earnings if the
authorization is revocable.
(b) Notwithstanding the prohibition of subsection (a) of
this section, a lender may take an assignment of commissions or
accounts receivable payable to the debtor for services rendered
for payment or as security for payment of a debt arising out of
a consumer loan.
(c) A sale of unpaid earnings made in consideration of the
payment of money to or for the account of the seller of the
earnings is deemed to be a loan to him secured by an assignment
of earnings.
40-14-335.
Attorney's fees.
Except as provided by the provisions on limitations on
attorney's fees as to certain supervised loans (W.S. 40-14-353),
with respect to a consumer loan the agreement may provide for
the payment by the debtor of reasonable attorney's fees after
default and referral to an attorney not a salaried employee of
the lender. A provision in violation of this section is
unenforceable.
40-14-336.
Limitation on default charges.
Except for reasonable expenses incurred in realizing on a
security interest, the agreement with respect to a consumer loan
may not provide for charges as a result of default by the debtor
other than those authorized by this act. A provision in
violation of this section is unenforceable.
40-14-337.
Notice of assignment.
The debtor is authorized to pay the original lender until he
receives notification of assignment of rights to payment
pursuant to a consumer loan and that payment is to be made to
the assignee. A notification which does not reasonably identify
the rights assigned is ineffective. If requested by the debtor,
the assignee must seasonably furnish reasonable proof that the
assignment has been made and unless he does so the debtor may
pay the original lender.
40-14-338.
Authorization to confess judgment prohibited.
A debtor may not authorize any person to confess judgment on a
claim arising out of a consumer loan. An authorization in
violation of this section is void.
40-14-339.
Change in terms of revolving loan accounts.
(a) If a lender makes a change in the terms of a revolving
loan account without complying with this section any additional
cost or charge to the debtor resulting from the change is an
excess charge and subject to the remedies available to debtors
(W.S. 40-14-521) and to the administrator (W.S. 40-14-613).
(b) A lender may change the terms of a revolving loan
account whether or not the change is authorized by prior
agreement. Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section,
the lender shall give to the debtor written notice of any change
at least three (3) times, with the first notice at least six (6)
months before the effective date of the change.
(c) The notice specified in subsection (b) of this section
is not required if notice of any proposed change in the terms of
a revolving loan account is given to the customer at least
thirty (30) days prior to the effective date of such change or
thirty (30) days prior to the beginning of the billing cycle
within which such change will become effective, whichever is the
earlier date, and if:
(i) The debtor after receiving notice of the change
agrees in writing to the change;
(ii) The debtor elects to pay an amount designated on
a billing statement as including a new charge for a benefit
offered to the debtor when the benefit and charge constitute the
change in terms and when the billing statement also states the
amount payable if the new charge is excluded;
(iii)
The change involves no significant cost to the
debtor;
(iv) The debtor has previously consented in writing
to the kind of change made and notice of the change is given to
the debtor in two (2) billing cycles prior to the effective date
of the change; or
(v) The change applies only to debts incurred after a
date specified in a notice of the change given in two (2)
billing cycles prior to the effective date of the change.
(d) The notice provided for in this section is given to
the debtor when mailed to him at the address used by the lender
for sending periodic billing statements.
40-14-340.
Use of multiple agreements.
A lender may not use multiple agreements with intent to avoid
disclosure of an annual percentage rate pursuant to the laws
relating to disclosure and advertising. The excess amount of
loan finance charge provided for in agreements in violation of
this section is an excess charge for the purposes of the
provisions on the effect of violations on rights of parties
(W.S. 40-14-521) and the provisions on civil actions by
administrator (W.S. 40-14-613).
40-14-341.
Definitions.
(a) "Supervised loan" means a consumer loan in which the
rate of the loan finance charge exceeds ten percent (10%) per
year as determined according to the provisions on loan finance
charge for consumer loans (W.S. 40-14-310).
(b) "Supervised lender" means a person authorized to make
or take assignments of supervised loans.
40-14-342.
Authority to make or enforce supervised loans.
Unless a person is a supervised financial organization or has
first obtained a license from the administrator authorizing him
to make supervised loans, he shall not engage in the business
of, (a) making supervised loans, or (b) taking assignments of
and undertaking direct collection of payments from or
enforcement of rights against debtors arising from supervised
loans, but he may collect and enforce for three (3) months
without a license if he promptly applies for a license and his
application has not been denied.
40-14-343.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 86, § 3.
40-14-344.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 86, § 3.
40-14-345.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 86, § 3.
40-14-346.
Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 86, § 3.
40-14-347.
Repealed By Laws 1996 , ch. 86, § 3.
40-14-348.
Loan finance charge.
(a) With respect to a supervised loan, including a loan
pursuant to a revolving loan account, and except as provided for
pawnbrokers under W.S. 40-14-360(a) and post-dated check cashers
under W.S. 40-14-363(a), a supervised lender may contract for
and receive a loan finance charge not exceeding that permitted
by this section.
(b) The loan finance charge, calculated according to the
actuarial method, may not exceed:
(i) Where the initial principal does not exceed
seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000.00), the equivalent of
the greater of either of the following:
(A) The total of: Thirty-six percent (36%) per
year on that part of the unpaid balances of the principal which
is one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or less and twenty-one
percent (21%) per year on that part of the unpaid balances of
the principal which is more than one thousand dollars
($1,000.00); or
(B) Twenty-one percent (21%) per year on that
part of the unpaid balances of the principal.
(C)
Repealed by Laws 1981, ch. 147, § 2.
(ii) Where the initial principal exceeds seventy-five
thousand dollars ($75,000.00), any loan finance charge specified
in the debtor's loan agreement.
(c) This section does not limit or restrict the manner of
contracting for the loan finance charge, whether by way of
add-on, discount, single annual percentage rate or otherwise, so
long as the rate of the loan finance charge does not exceed that
permitted by this section. The finance charge may be contracted
for and earned at the single annual percentage rate that would
earn the same finance charge as the graduated rates when the
debt is paid according to the agreed terms and the calculations
are made according to the actuarial method. If the loan is
precomputed:
(i) The loan finance charge may be calculated on the
assumption that all scheduled payments will be made when due;
and
(ii) The effect of prepayment is governed by the
provisions on rebate upon prepayment (W.S. 40-14-319).
(d) The term of a loan for the purposes of this section
commences on the date the loan is made. Differences in the
lengths of months are disregarded and a day may be counted as
one-thirtieth of a month. Subject to classifications and
differentiations the lender may reasonably establish, a part of
a month in excess of fifteen (15) days may be treated as a full
month if periods of fifteen (15) days or less are disregarded
and that procedure is not consistently used to obtain a greater
yield than would otherwise be permitted.
(e) Subject to classifications and differentiations the
lender may reasonably establish, he may make the same loan
finance charge on all principal amounts within a specified
range. A loan finance charge so made does not violate subsection
(b) of this section, if:
(i) When applied to the median amount within each
range, it does not exceed the maximum permitted in subsection
(b) of this section; and
(ii) When applied to the lowest amount within each
range, it does not produce a rate of loan finance charge
exceeding the rate calculated according to paragraph (b)(i) of
this section by more than eight percent (8%) of the rate
calculated according to paragraph (b)(i) of this section.
40-14-349.
Use of multiple agreements.
With respect to a supervised loan, no lender may permit any
person, or husband and wife, to become obligated in any way
under more than one (1) loan agreement with the lender or with a
person related to the lender, with intent to obtain a higher
rate of loan finance charge than would otherwise be permitted by
the provisions on loan finance charge for supervised loans (W.S.
40-14-348) or to avoid disclosure of an annual percentage rate
pursuant to the laws relating to disclosure and advertising. The
excess amount of loan finance charge provided for in agreements
in violation of this section is an excess charge for the
purposes of the provisions on effect of violations on rights of
parties (W.S. 40-14-521) and the provisions on civil actions by
administrator (W.S. 40-14-613).
40-14-350.
Restrictions on interest in land as security.
With respect to a supervised loan in which the principal is one
thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or less, a lender may not contract
for an interest in land as security. A security interest taken
in violation of this section is void.
40-14-351.
term.
Regular schedule of payments; maximum loan
(a) Supervised loans, not made pursuant to a revolving
loan account and in which the principal is one thousand dollars
($1,000.00) or less, shall be scheduled to be payable in
substantially equal installments at equal periodic intervals
except to the extent that the schedule of payments is adjusted
to the seasonal or irregular income of the debtor; and:
(i) Over a period of not more than thirty-seven (37)
months if the principal is more than three hundred dollars
($300.00); or
(ii) Over a period of not more than twenty-five (25)
months if the principal is three hundred dollars ($300.00) or
less.
40-14-352.
Conduct of business other than making loans.
A licensee may carry on other business at a location where he
makes supervised loans unless he carries on other business for
the purpose of evasion or violation of this act.
40-14-353.
Limitation on attorney's fees.
With respect to a supervised loan in which the principal is one
thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or less, the agreement may not
provide for the payment by the debtor of attorney's fees. A
provision in violation of this section is unenforceable.
40-14-354.
parties.
Loans subject to provisions by agreement of
The parties to a loan other than a consumer loan may agree in a
writing signed by the parties that the loan is subject to the
provisions of this act applying to consumer loans. If the
parties so agree, the loan is a consumer loan for the purposes
of this act.
40-14-355.
charge.
Definition of "consumer related loan"; finance
(a) A "consumer related loan" is a loan which is not
subject to the provisions of this act applying to consumer loans
and in which the principal does not exceed seventy-five thousand
dollars ($75,000.00) if:
(i) The debtor is a person other than an
organization; or
(ii) The debt is secured primarily by a security
interest in a one (1) or two (2) family dwelling occupied by a
person related to the debtor.
(b) With respect to a consumer related loan, including one
made pursuant to a revolving loan account, the parties may
contract for the payment by the debtor of a loan finance charge
not in excess of that permitted by the provisions on loan
finance charge for consumer loans or the provisions on loan
finance charge for supervised loans (W.S. 40-14-348), whichever
is appropriate.
40-14-356.
related loans.
Applicability of other provisions to consumer
Except for the rate of the loan finance charge and the rights to
prepay and to rebate upon prepayment, the provisions of part 2
of this article apply to a consumer related loan.
40-14-357.
related loans.
Limitation on default charges in consumer
(a) The agreement with respect to a consumer related loan
may provide for only the following charges as a result of the
debtor's default:
(i) Reasonable attorney's fees and reasonable
expenses incurred in realizing on a security interest;
(ii) Deferral charges not in excess of eighteen
percent (18%) per year of the amount deferred for the period of
deferral; and
(iii) Other charges that could have been made had the
loan been a consumer loan.
(b) A provision in violation of this section is
unenforceable.
40-14-358.
Loan finance charge for other loans.
With respect to a loan other than a consumer loan or a consumer
related loan, the parties may contract for the payment by the
debtor of any loan finance charge.
40-14-359.
(a)
Definitions; application.
As used in W.S. 40-14-359 through 40-14-361:
(i) "Pawnbroker" means a person licensed pursuant to
W.S. 40-14-634 to engage in the business of making pawn
transactions;
(ii) "Pawn finance charge" means the sum of all
charges, payable directly or indirectly by the customer and
imposed directly or indirectly by the pawnbroker as an incident
of the pawn transactions;
(iii) "Pawn transaction" means the act of lending
money on the security of pledged tangible personal property, or
the act of purchasing tangible personal property on the
condition that it may be redeemed or repurchased by the seller
for a fixed price within a fixed period of time.
(b) W.S. 40-14-359 through 40-14-361 shall not supersede
the rights of cities, towns and counties to regulate and license
pawnshops in any fashion consistent with this act. The rights of
cities, towns and counties to regulate pawn finance charges and
maturities are preempted.
40-14-360. Pawn finance charge; limits on amount financed
and terms; minimum pawn finance charge.
(a) No pawnbroker may contract for, charge or receive any
amount as a charge in connection with a pawn transaction other
than a pawn finance charge. No pawn finance charge shall exceed
twenty percent (20%) per month on the unpaid principal balance
of the pawn transaction.
(b) The amount financed in any one (1) pawn transaction to
any one (1) customer shall not exceed three thousand dollars
($3,000.00).
(c) The maturity date of a pawn transaction shall be one
(1) calendar month. The period shall expire on the same date in
the succeeding month if there is such a date, otherwise on the
last day of the succeeding month. If the expiration date is not
a business day, the period expires on the next business day.
(d) Pawn finance charges are fully earned on the day the
loan is made.
(e) Pawn transactions may be renewed from month to month
without additional disclosures provided:
(i)
There is no change in the original terms; and
(ii)
Pawn finance charges are not compounded.
(f) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, the
lender may contract for and receive a minimum pawn finance
charge of not more than five dollars ($5.00).
40-14-361.
Limitation on agreement and practices.
(a) No pawnbroker shall make an agreement requiring the
personal liability of a customer in connection with a pawn
transaction. No customer may be required to redeem pledged goods
or make any payment on a pawn transaction. The sole remedy of a
pawnbroker for nonpayment of a loan by a customer or failure to
redeem or repurchase tangible personal property by a customer in
a pawn transaction is the right to title of the pledged tangible
personal property.
(b) Pawnbrokers shall not make any charge for insurance in
connection with a pawn transaction.
(c) Pawnbrokers shall post in a conspicuous place on their
premises a schedule of business days and hours during which pawn
transactions may be redeemed.
40-14-362.
(a)
Definitions.
As used in W.S. 40-14-362 through 40-14-367:
(i) "Post-dated check or similar arrangement" means
the act of lending money in which a check or draft is dated on a
date subsequent to the date it was written or dated on the date
written but held for any period of days prior to deposit or
presentment due to the check casher's agreement with or
representations to a debtor, whether express or implied;
(ii) "Post-dated check casher" means a person engaged
in the business of lending money by means of post-dated check
transactions or similar arrangements.
40-14-363. License required; post-dated check finance
charge; limits on amount financed and terms; minimum finance
charge.
(a) No person shall engage in business as a post-dated
check casher in this state unless licensed in accordance with
W.S. 40-14-634. No post-dated check casher may contract for,
charge or receive any amount as a charge in connection with a
post-dated check or similar arrangement other than a post-dated
check finance charge as stated in this subsection. No
post-dated check finance charge shall exceed the greater of
thirty dollars ($30.00) or twenty percent (20%) per month on the
principal balance of the post-dated check or similar
arrangement.
(b) The maximum term of any post-dated check or similar
arrangement subject to this part shall be one (1) calendar
month. Extended payment plans under W.S. 40-14-366 are not
subject to this subsection.
(c) Post-dated check finance charges are fully earned on
the day the post-dated check or similar arrangement is made.
40-14-364.
Limitation on multiple agreements.
No post-dated check or similar arrangement shall be repaid,
refinanced or otherwise consolidated by proceeds of another
post-dated check or similar arrangement accepted by the same
post-dated check casher.
40-14-365.
Right to rescind.
(a) A post-dated check or similar arrangement with a postdated check casher may be rescinded by the consumer on or before
5:00 p.m. Mountain Time of the following business day, provided
that the consumer returns to the post-dated check casher in cash
or certified funds the full original amount of funds advanced.
A rescission under this section shall be at no cost to the
consumer.
(b) Information regarding how to exercise the right to
rescind shall be provided in writing to the consumer at the
consummation of every post-dated check or similar arrangement.
40-14-366.
Extended payment plan; terms and conditions.
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions of this section, a
consumer who is unable to repay a post-dated check or similar
arrangement when due may elect once every twelve (12) months to
repay the post-dated check or similar arrangement by means of an
extended payment plan. The twelve (12) month period shall be
measured from the date the consumer pays in full one extended
payment plan with the post-dated check casher until the date
that the consumer enters into another extended payment plan with
the post-dated check casher.
(b) To request an extended payment plan, the consumer,
before 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time on the last business day before
the due date of the outstanding post-dated check or similar
arrangement, shall request the plan and sign an amendment to the
original agreement which memorializes the plan's terms.
(c) The extended payment plan's terms shall allow the
consumer to repay the outstanding post-dated check or similar
arrangement including any fee due in at least four (4)
substantially equal installments and over a time period of at
least sixty (60) days. Each plan installment shall be due on or
after a date on which the consumer receives regular income, or
if the consumer has no regular income due dates shall be a
minimum of two (2) weeks between installments. The consumer may
prepay an extended payment plan in full at any time without
penalty. As long as the consumer complies with the terms of the
extended payment plan, the plan shall be at no additional cost
to the consumer and the post-dated check casher shall not charge
the consumer any interest or additional fees during the term of
the extended payment plan. The post-dated check casher may,
with each payment under the plan by a consumer, provide for the
return of the consumer's prior held check and require a new
check for the remaining balance under the plan.
(d) If the consumer fails to pay any extended payment plan
installment when due, the consumer shall be in default of the
payment plan and the post-dated check casher immediately may
accelerate payment on the remaining balance and take action to
collect all amounts due. Upon default, notwithstanding W.S.
40-14-363(a), the post-dated check casher may charge the
consumer interest on the outstanding balance at an annual rate
equal to six percent (6%) plus the prime rate as listed in the
Wall Street Journal on January 1 of the year in which the
consumer defaults.
40-14-367.
Notification.
(a) A post-dated check casher shall provide the following
written notice with each post-dated check or similar arrangement
and obtain the signature of the consumer at least annually
indicating receipt of the notice:
NOTICE
1. STATE LAW PROHIBITS A POST-DATED CHECK OR SIMILAR
ARRANGEMENT FROM BEING REPAID, REFINANCED OR OTHERWISE
CONSOLIDATED BY PROCEEDS OF ANOTHER POST-DATED CHECK OR SIMILAR
ARRANGEMENT ACCEPTED BY THE SAME POST-DATED CHECK CASHER.
2. POST-DATED CHECK ADVANCES SHOULD BE USED FOR SHORT-TERM
FINANCIAL NEEDS ONLY, NOT AS A LONG-TERM FINANCIAL SOLUTION.
CUSTOMERS WITH CREDIT DIFFICULTIES SHOULD SEEK CREDIT
COUNSELING.
40-14-368.
Violations
The administrator is authorized to enforce an appropriate
remedy, penalty, action or license revocation or suspension, as
provided in articles 5 and 6 of this chapter, against a person
licensed under the act for a violation of any portion of Section
670 of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2007 (Public Law 109-634, H.R. 5122), or any
regulation promulgated thereunder.
ARTICLE 4
INSURANCE
40-14-401.
Short title.
This article shall be known and may be cited as "Uniform
Consumer Credit Code-Insurance."
40-14-402.
Scope.
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section,
this article applies to insurance provided or to be provided in
relation to a consumer credit sale (W.S. 40-14-204), a consumer
lease (W.S. 40-14-206), or a consumer loan (W.S. 40-14-304).
(b) The provision on cancellation by a creditor (W.S.
40-14-453) applies to loans the primary purpose of which is the
financing of insurance. No other provision of this article
applies to insurance so financed.
(c) This article supplements and does not repeal W.S.
26-21-101 through 26-22-101. The provisions of this act
concerning administrative controls, liabilities, and penalties
do not apply to persons acting as insurers, and the similar
provisions of W.S. 26-21-101 through 26-21-114 and 26-23-201 do
not apply to creditors and debtors.
40-14-403.
(a)
Definitions.
In this act:
(i) "Consumer credit insurance" means insurance,
other than insurance on property, by which the satisfaction of
debt in whole or in part is a benefit provided, but does not
include:
(A) Insurance provided in relation to a credit
transaction in which a payment is scheduled more than ten (10)
years after the extension of credit;
(B) Insurance issued as an isolated transaction
on the part of the insurer not related to an agreement or plan
for insuring debtors of the creditor; or
(C) Insurance indemnifying the creditor against
loss due to the debtor's default.
(ii) "Credit Insurance Act" means W.S. 26-21-101
through 26-21-114 and 26-23-201.
40-14-404. Creditor's provision of and charge for
insurance; excess amount of charge.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this article and
subject to the provisions on additional charges (W.S. 40-14-213
and 40-14-311) and maximum charges (part 2 of article 2 and
article 3), a creditor may agree to provide insurance, and may
contract for and receive a charge for insurance separate from
and in addition to other charges. A creditor need not make a
separate charge for insurance provided or required by him. This
act does not authorize the issuance of any insurance prohibited
under any statute, or rule thereunder, governing the business of
insurance.
(b) The excess amount of a charge for insurance provided
for in agreements in violation of this article is an excess
charge for the purposes of the provisions of the article on
remedies and penalties (article 5) as to effect of violations on
rights of parties (W.S. 40-14-521) and of the provisions of the
article on administration (article 6) as to civil actions by the
administrator (W.S. 40-14-613).
40-14-405.
by creditor.
Conditions applying to insurance to be provided
(a) If a creditor agrees with a debtor to provide
insurance:
(i) The insurance shall be evidenced by an individual
policy or certificate of insurance delivered to the debtor, or
sent to him at his address as stated by him, within thirty (30)
days after the term of the insurance commences under the
agreement between the creditor and debtor; or
(ii) The creditor shall promptly notify the debtor of
any failure or delay in providing the insurance.
40-14-406.
Unconscionability.
(a) In applying the provisions of this act on
unconscionability (W.S. 40-14-508 and 40-14-611) to a separate
charge for insurance, consideration shall be given, among other
factors, to:
(i) Potential benefits to the debtor including the
satisfaction of his obligations;
(ii) The creditor's need for the protection provided
by the insurance; and
(iii) The relation between the amount and terms of
credit granted and the insurance benefits provided.
(b) If consumer credit insurance otherwise complies with
this article and other applicable law, neither the amount nor
the term of the insurance nor the amount of a charge therefor is
in itself unconscionable.
40-14-407.
Maximum charge by creditor for insurance.
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section,
if a creditor contracts for or receives a separate charge for
insurance, the amount charged to the debtor for the insurance
may not exceed the premium to be charged by the insurer, as
computed at the time the charge to the debtor is determined,
conforming to any rate filings required by law and made by the
insurer with the commissioner of insurance.
(b) A creditor who provides consumer credit insurance in
relation to a revolving charge account (W.S. 40-14-208) or
revolving loan account (W.S. 40-14-308) may calculate the charge
to the debtor in each billing cycle by applying the current
premium rate to:
(i)
the cycle;
The average daily unpaid balance of the debt in
(ii) The unpaid balance of the debt or a median
amount within a specified range of unpaid balances of debt on
approximately the same day of the cycle. The day of the cycle
need not be the day used in calculating the credit service
charge (W.S. 40-14-218) or loan finance charge (W.S. 40-14-310
and 40-14-348), but the specified range shall be the range used
for that purpose; or
(iii) The unpaid balances of principal calculated
according to the actuarial method.
40-14-408.
Refund or credit required; amount.
(a) Upon prepayment in full of a consumer credit sale or
consumer loan by the proceeds of consumer credit insurance, the
debtor or his estate is entitled to a refund of any portion of a
separate charge for insurance which by reason of prepayment is
retained by the creditor or returned to him by the insurer
unless the charge was computed from time to time on the basis of
the balances of the debtor's account.
(b) This article does not require a creditor to grant a
refund or credit to the debtor if all refunds and credits due to
the debtor under this article amount to less than one dollar
($1.00), and except as provided in subsection (a) of this
section does not require the creditor to account to the debtor
for any portion of a separate charge for insurance because:
(i) The insurance is terminated by performance of the
insurer's obligation;
(ii) The creditor pays or accounts for premiums to
the insurer in amounts and at times determined by the agreement
between them; or
(iii) The creditor receives directly or indirectly
under any policy of insurance a gain or advantage not prohibited
by law.
(c) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section,
the creditor shall promptly make or cause to be made an
appropriate refund or credit to the debtor with respect to any
separate charge made to him for insurance if:
(i) The insurance is not provided or is provided for
a shorter term than that for which the charge to the debtor for
insurance was computed; or
(ii) The insurance terminates prior to the end of the
term for which it was written because of prepayment in full or
otherwise.
(d) A refund or credit required by subsection (c) of this
section is appropriate as to amount if it is computed according
to a method prescribed or approved by the commissioner of
insurance or a formula filed by the insurer with the
commissioner of insurance at least thirty (30) days before the
debtor's right to a refund or credit becomes determinable,
unless the method or formula is employed after the commissioner
of insurance notifies the insurer that he disapproves it.
40-14-409.
Existing insurance; choice of insurer.
If a creditor requires insurance, upon notice to the creditor
the debtor shall have the option of providing the required
insurance through an existing policy of insurance owned or
controlled by the debtor, or through a policy to be obtained and
paid for by the debtor, but the creditor may for reasonable
cause decline the insurance provided by the debtor. The creditor
shall promptly notify the debtor of his rights under this
section.
40-14-410. Charge for insurance in connection with a
deferral, refinancing, or consolidation; duplicate charges.
(a) A creditor may not contract for or receive a separate
charge for insurance in connection with a deferral (W.S.
40-14-215 or 40-14-313), a refinancing (W.S. 40-14-216 or
40-14-314), or a consolidation (W.S. 40-14-217 or 40-14-315),
unless:
(i) The debtor agrees at or before the time of the
deferral, refinancing, or consolidation that the charge may be
made;
(ii) The debtor is or is to be provided with
insurance for an amount or a term, or insurance of a kind, in
addition to that to which he would have been entitled had there
been no deferral, refinancing, or consolidation;
(iii) The debtor receives a refund or credit on
account of any unexpired term of existing insurance in the
amount that would be required if the insurance were terminated
(W.S. 40-14-408); and
(iv) The charge does not exceed the amount permitted
by this article (W.S. 40-14-407).
(b) A creditor may not contract for or receive a separate
charge for insurance which duplicates insurance with respect to
which the creditor has previously contracted for or received a
separate charge.
40-14-411. Cooperation between administrator and
commissioner of insurance.
The administrator and the commissioner of insurance are
authorized and directed to consult and assist one another in
maintaining compliance with this article. They may jointly
pursue investigations, prosecute suits, and take other official
action, as may seem to them appropriate, if either of them is
otherwise empowered to take the action. If the administrator is
informed of a violation or suspected violation by an insurer of
this article, or of the insurance laws, rules, and regulations
of this state, he shall advise the commissioner of insurance of
the circumstances.
40-14-412.
insurance.
Administrative action of commissioner of
The Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act applies to and governs
all administrative action taken by the commissioner of insurance
pursuant to this section.
40-14-430.
Term of insurance.
(a) Consumer credit insurance provided by a creditor may
be subject to the furnishing of evidence of insurability
satisfactory to the insurer. Whether or not such evidence is
required, the term of the insurance shall commence no later than
when the debtor becomes obligated to the creditor or when the
debtor applies for the insurance, whichever is later, except as
follows:
(i) If any required evidence of insurability is not
furnished until more than thirty (30) days after the term would
otherwise commence, the term may commence on the date when the
insurer determines the evidence to be satisfactory; or
(ii) If the creditor provides insurance not
previously provided covering debts previously created, the term
may commence on the effective date of the policy.
(b) The originally scheduled term of the insurance shall
extend at least until the due date of the last scheduled payment
of the debt except as follows:
(i) If the insurance relates to a revolving charge
account or revolving loan account, the term need extend only
until the payment of the debt under the account and may be
sooner terminated after at least thirty (30) days notice to the
debtor; or
(ii) If the debtor is advised in writing that the
insurance will be written for a specified shorter time, the term
need extend only until the end of the specified time.
(c) The term of the insurance shall not extend more than
fifteen (15) days after the originally scheduled due date of the
last scheduled payment of the debt unless it is extended without
additional cost to the debtor or as an incident to a deferral,
refinancing, or consolidation.
40-14-431.
(a)
Amount of insurance.
Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section:
(i) In the case of consumer credit insurance
providing life coverage, the amount of insurance may not
initially exceed the debt and, if the debt is payable in
installments, may not at any time exceed the greater of the
scheduled or actual amount of the debt; or
(ii) In the case of any other consumer credit
insurance, the total amount of periodic benefits payable may not
exceed the total of scheduled unpaid installments of the debt,
and the amount of any periodic benefit may not exceed the
original amount of debt divided by the number of periodic
installments in which it is payable.
(b) If consumer credit insurance is provided in connection
with a revolving charge account or revolving loan account, the
amounts payable as insurance benefits may be reasonably
commensurate with the amount of debt as it exists from time to
time. If consumer credit insurance is provided in connection
with a commitment to grant credit in the future, the amounts
payable as insurance benefits may be reasonably commensurate
with the total from time to time of the amount of debt and the
amount of the commitment.
40-14-432.
Filing and approval of rates and forms.
(a) A creditor may not use a form or a schedule of premium
rates or charges, the filing of which is required by this
section, if the commissioner of insurance has disapproved the
form or schedule and has notified the insurer of his
disapproval. A creditor may not use a form or schedule unless:
(i) The form or schedule has been on file with the
commissioner of insurance for thirty (30) days, or has earlier
been approved by him; and
(ii) The insurer has complied with this section with
respect to the insurance.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section,
all policies, certificates of insurance, notices of proposed
insurance, applications for insurance, endorsements and riders
relating to consumer credit insurance delivered or issued for
delivery in this state, and the schedules of premium rates or
charges pertaining thereto, shall be filed by the insurer with
the commissioner of insurance. Within thirty (30) days after the
filing of any form or schedule, he shall disapprove it if the
premium rates or charges are unreasonable in relation to the
benefits provided under the form, or if the form contains
provisions which are unjust, unfair, inequitable, or deceptive,
or encourage misrepresentation of the coverage, or are contrary
to any provision of the Insurance Code or of any rule or
regulation promulgated thereunder.
(c) If a group policy has been delivered in another state,
the forms to be filed by the insurer with the commissioner of
insurance are the group certificates and notices of proposed
insurance. He shall approve them if:
(i) They provide the information that would be
required if the group policy were delivered in this state; and
(ii) The applicable premium rates or charges do not
exceed those established by his rules or regulations.
40-14-450.
Property insurance.
(a) A creditor may not contract for or receive a separate
charge for insurance against loss of or damage to property
unless:
(i) The insurance covers a substantial risk of loss
of or damage to property related to the credit transaction;
(ii) The amount, terms, and conditions of the
insurance are reasonable in relation to the character and value
of the property insured or to be insured; and
(iii) The term of the insurance is reasonable in
relation to the terms of credit.
(b) The term of the insurance is reasonable if it is
customary and does not extend substantially beyond a scheduled
maturity.
(c) A creditor may not contract for or receive a separate
charge for insurance against loss of or damage to property
unless the amount financed or principal exclusive of changes for
the insurance is three hundred dollars ($300.00) or more, and
the value of the property is three hundred dollars ($300.00) or
more.
40-14-451.
Risk of loss or damage.
If a creditor contracts for or receives a separate charge for
insurance against loss of or damage to property, the risk of
loss or damage not willfully caused by the debtor is on the
debtor only to the extent of any deficiency in the effective
coverage of the insurance, even though the insurance covers only
the interest of the creditor.
40-14-452.
Liability insurance.
A creditor may not contract for or receive a separate charge for
insurance against liability unless the insurance covers a
substantial risk of liability arising out of the ownership or
use of property related to the credit transaction.
40-14-453.
Cancellation by creditor.
A creditor shall not request cancellation of a policy of
property or liability insurance except after the debtor's
default or in accordance with a written authorization by the
debtor, and in either case the cancellation does not take effect
until written notice is delivered to the debtor or mailed to him
at his address as stated by him. The notice shall state that the
policy may be cancelled on a date not less than ten (10) days
after the notice is delivered, or, if the notice is mailed, not
less than thirteen (13) days after it is mailed.
ARTICLE 5
REMEDIES AND PENALTIES
40-14-501.
Short title.
This article shall be known and may be cited as "Uniform
Consumer Credit Code-Remedies and Penalties."
40-14-502.
Scope.
This part applies to actions or other proceedings to enforce
rights arising from consumer credit sales, consumer leases, and
consumer loans; and, in addition, to extortionate extensions of
credit (W.S. 40-14-507).
40-14-503. Restrictions on deficiency judgments in
consumer credit sales.
(a) This section applies to a consumer credit sale of
goods or services.
(b) If the seller repossesses or voluntarily accepts
surrender of goods which were the subject of the sale and in
which he has a security interest and the cash price of the goods
repossessed or surrendered was one thousand dollars ($1,000.00)
or less, the buyer is not personally liable to the seller for
the unpaid balance of the debt arising from the sale of the
goods, and the seller is not obligated to resell the collateral.
(c) If the seller repossesses or voluntarily accepts
surrender of goods which were not the subject of the sale but in
which he has a security interest to secure a debt arising from a
sale of goods or services or a combined sale of goods and
services and the cash price of the sale was one thousand dollars
($1,000.00) or less, the buyer is not personally liable to the
seller for the unpaid balance of the debt arising from the sale.
(d) For the purpose of determining the unpaid balance of
consolidated debts or debts pursuant to revolving charge
accounts, the allocation of payments to a debt shall be
determined in the same manner as provided for determining the
amount of debt secured by various security interests (W.S.
40-14-243).
(e) The buyer may be liable in damages to the seller if
the buyer has wrongfully damaged the collateral or if, after
default and demand, the buyer has wrongfully failed to make the
collateral available to the seller.
(f) If the seller elects to bring an action against the
buyer for a debt arising from a consumer credit sale of goods or
services, when under this section he would not be entitled to a
deficiency judgment if he repossessed the collateral, and
obtains judgment:
(i)
He may not repossess the collateral; and
(ii) The collateral is not subject to levy or sale on
execution or similar proceedings pursuant to the judgment.
40-14-504.
No garnishment before judgment.
Prior to entry of judgment in an action against the debtor for
debt arising from a consumer credit sale, a consumer lease, or a
consumer loan, the creditor may not attach unpaid earnings of
the debtor by garnishment or like proceedings.
40-14-505.
(a)
Limitation on garnishment.
For the purposes of this part:
(i) "Disposable earnings" means that part of the
earnings of an individual remaining after the deduction from
those earnings of amounts required by law to be withheld; and
(ii) "Garnishment" means any legal or equitable
procedure through which the earnings of an individual are
required to be withheld for payment of a debt.
(b) The maximum part of the aggregate disposable earnings
of an individual for any workweek which is subjected to
garnishment to enforce payment of a judgment arising from a
consumer credit sale, consumer lease, or consumer loan may not
exceed the lesser of:
(i) Twenty-five percent (25%) of his disposable
earnings for that week; or
(ii) The amount by which his disposable earnings for
that week exceed thirty (30) times the federal minimum hourly
wage prescribed by section (6)(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards
Act of 1938, U.S.C. tit. 29, § 206(a)(1), in effect at the time
the earnings are payable;
(iii) In the case of earnings for a pay period other
than a week, the administrator shall prescribe by rule a
multiple of the federal minimum hourly wage equivalent in effect
to that set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) of this section.
(c) No court may make, execute, or enforce an order or
process in violation of this section.
40-14-506.
No discharge from employment for garnishment.
No employer shall discharge an employee for the reason that a
creditor of the employee has subjected or attempted to subject
unpaid earnings of the employee to garnishment or like
proceedings directed to the employer for the purpose of paying a
judgment arising from a consumer credit sale, consumer lease, or
consumer loan.
40-14-507.
Extortionate extensions of credit.
(a) If it is the understanding of the creditor and the
debtor at the time an extension of credit is made that delay in
making repayment or failure to make repayment could result in
the use of violence or other criminal means to cause harm to the
person, reputation, or property of any person, the repayment of
the extension of credit is unenforceable through civil judicial
processes against the debtor.
(b) If it is shown that an extension of credit was made at
an annual rate exceeding forty-five percent (45%) calculated
according to the actuarial method and that the creditor then had
a reputation for the use or threat of use of violence or other
criminal means to cause harm to the person, reputation, or
property of any person to collect extensions of credit or to
punish the nonrepayment thereof, there is prima facie evidence
that the extension of credit was unenforceable under subsection
(a) of this section.
40-14-508.
Unconscionability.
(a) With respect to a consumer credit sale, consumer
lease, or consumer loan, if the court as a matter of law finds
the agreement or any clause of the agreement to have been
unconscionable at the time it was made the court may refuse to
enforce the agreement, or it may enforce the remainder of the
agreement without the unconscionable clause, or it may so limit
the application of any unconscionable clause as to avoid any
unconscionable result.
(b) If it is claimed or appears to the court that the
agreement or any clause thereof may be unconscionable the
parties shall be afforded a reasonable opportunity to present
evidence as to its setting, purpose, and effect to aid the court
in making the determination.
(c) For the purpose of this section, a charge or practice
expressly permitted by this act is not in itself unconscionable.
40-14-520.
Interests in land.
(a) For purposes of the provisions of this part on civil
liability for violation of disclosure provisions (W.S.
40-14-522) and on debtor's right to rescind certain transactions
(W.S. 40-14-523):
(i) Consumer credit sale includes a sale of an
interest in land without regard to the rate of the credit
service charge if the sale is otherwise a consumer credit sale
(W.S. 40-14-204); and
(ii) Consumer loan includes a loan primarily secured
by an interest in land without regard to the rate of the loan
finance charge if the loan is otherwise a consumer loan (W.S.
40-14-305).
40-14-521.
Effect of violations on rights of parties.
(a) If a creditor has violated the provisions of this act
applying to certain negotiable instruments (W.S. 40-14-237), or
limitations on the schedule of payments or loan term for
supervised loans (W.S. 40-14-351), the debtor is not obligated
to pay the credit service charge or loan finance charge, and has
a right to recover from the person violating this act or from an
assignee of that person's rights who undertakes direct
collection of payments or enforcement of rights arising from the
debt a penalty in an amount determined by the court not in
excess of three (3) times the amount of the credit service
charge or loan finance charge. No action pursuant to this
subsection may be brought more than one (1) year after the due
date of the last scheduled payment of the agreement with respect
to which the violation occurred.
(b) If a creditor has violated the provisions of this act
applying to authority to make supervised loans (W.S. 40-14-342),
the loan is void and the debtor is not obligated to pay either
the principal or loan finance charge. If he has paid any part of
the principal or of the loan finance charge, he has a right to
recover the payment from the person violating this act or from
an assignee of that person's rights who undertakes direct
collection of payments or enforcement of rights arising from the
debt. With respect to violations arising from other loans, no
action pursuant to this subsection may be brought more than two
(2) years after the violation occurred. With respect to
violations arising from other loans, no action pursuant to this
subsection may be brought more than one (1) year after the due
date of the last scheduled payment of the agreement pursuant to
which the charge was paid.
(c) A debtor is not obligated to pay a charge in excess of
that allowed by this act, and if he has paid an excess charge he
has a right to a refund. A refund may be made by reducing the
debtor's obligation by the amount of the excess charge. If the
debtor has paid an amount in excess of the lawful obligation
under the agreement, the debtor may recover the excess amount
from the person who made the excess charge or from an assignee
of that person's rights who undertakes direct collection of
payments from or enforcement of rights against debtors arising
from the debt.
(d) If a debtor is entitled to a refund and a person
liable to the debtor refuses to make a refund within a
reasonable time after demand, the debtor may recover from that
person a penalty in an amount determined by a court not
exceeding the greater of either the amount of the credit service
or loan finance charge or ten (10) times the amount of the
excess charge. If the creditor has made an excess charge in
deliberate violation of or in reckless disregard for this act,
the penalty may be recovered even though the creditor has
refunded the excess charge. No penalty pursuant to this
subsection may be recovered if a court has ordered a similar
penalty assessed against the same person in a civil action by
the administrator (W.S. 40-14-613). With respect to excess
charges arising from sales made pursuant to revolving charge
accounts or from loans made pursuant to revolving loan accounts,
no action pursuant to this subsection may be brought more than
two (2) years after the time the excess charge was made. With
respect to excess charges arising from other consumer credit
sales or consumer loans, no action pursuant to this subsection
may be brought more than one (1) year after the due date of the
last scheduled payment of the agreement pursuant to which the
charge was made.
(e) Except as otherwise provided, no violation of this act
impairs rights on a debt.
(f) If an employer discharges an employee in violation of
the provisions prohibiting discharge (W.S. 40-14-506), the
employee may within forty-five (45) days bring a civil action
for recovery of wages lost as a result of the violation and for
an order requiring the reinstatement of the employee. Damages
recoverable shall not exceed lost wages for six (6) weeks.
(g) If the creditor establishes by a preponderance of
evidence that a violation is unintentional or the result of a
bona fide error, no liability is imposed under subsections (a),
(b) and (d) of this section and the validity of the transaction
is not affected.
(h) In any case in which it is found that a creditor has
violated this act, the court may award reasonable attorney's
fees incurred by the debtor.
40-14-522.
provisions.
Civil liability for violation of disclosure
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a
creditor who, in violation of the laws relating to disclosure,
other than the provisions on advertising (sections 2-313 and
3-312 [Repealed]), of the article on credit sales (article 2)
and the article on loans (article 3), fails to disclose
information to a person entitled to the information under this
act is liable to that person in an amount equal to the sum of:
(i) Twice the amount of the credit service or loan
finance charge in connection with the transaction, but the
liability pursuant to this paragraph shall be not less than one
hundred dollars ($100.00) or more than one thousand dollars
($1,000.00); and
(ii) In the case of a successful action to enforce
the liability under paragraph (a)(i) of this section, the costs
of the action together with reasonable attorney's fees as
determined by the court.
(b) A creditor has no liability under this section if
within fifteen (15) days after discovering an error, and prior
to the institution of an action under this section or the
receipt of written notice of the error, the creditor notifies
the person concerned of the error and makes whatever adjustments
in the appropriate account are necessary to assure that the
person will not be required to pay a credit service charge or
loan finance charge in excess of the amount or percentage rate
actually disclosed.
(c) A creditor may not be held liable in any action
brought under this section for a violation of this act if the
creditor shows by a preponderance of evidence that the violation
was not intentional and resulted from a bona fide error
notwithstanding the maintenance of procedures reasonably adapted
to avoid the error.
(d) Any action, which may be brought under this section
against the original creditor in any credit transaction which
does not involve a security interest in land, may be maintained
against any subsequent assignee of the original creditor where
the violation from which the alleged liability arose is apparent
on the face of the instrument assigned unless the assignment is
involuntary.
(e) Any action which may be brought under this section
against the original creditor in any credit transaction
involving a security interest in land may be maintained against
any subsequent assignee of the original creditor where the
assignee, its subsidiaries, or affiliates were in a continuing
business relationship with the original creditor either at the
time the credit was extended or at the time of the assignment,
unless the assignment was involuntary, or the assignee shows by
a preponderance of evidence that it did not have reasonable
grounds to believe that the original creditor was engaged in
violations of W.S. 40-14-101 through 40-14-702 and that it
maintained procedures reasonably adapted to apprise it of the
existence of the violations.
(f) No action pursuant to this section may be brought more
than one (1) year after the date of the occurrence of the
violation.
(g)
Repealed by Laws 1988, ch. 49, § 2.
40-14-523.
Repealed By Laws 2013, Ch. 124, § 3.
40-14-524.
Refunds and penalties as setoff to obligation.
Refunds or penalties to which the debtor is entitled pursuant to
this part may be set off against the debtor's obligation, and
may be raised as a defense to a suit on the obligation without
regard to the time limitations prescribed by this part.
40-14-540.
Willful violations.
(a) A supervised lender who willfully makes charges in
excess of those permitted by the provisions of the article on
loans (article 3) applying to supervised loans (part 5) is
guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction may be sentenced to
pay a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), or to
imprisonment not exceeding six (6) months, or both.
(b) A person, other than a supervised financial
organization, who willfully engages in the business of making
supervised loans without a license in violation of the
provisions of this act applying to authority to make supervised
loans (W.S. 40-14-342) is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon
conviction may be sentenced to pay a fine not exceeding five
thousand dollars ($5,000.00), or to imprisonment not exceeding
one (1) year, or both.
(c) A person who willfully engages in the business of
making consumer credit sales, consumer leases, or consumer
loans, or of taking assignments of rights against debtors
arising therefrom and undertakes direct collection of payments
or enforcement of these rights, without complying with the
provisions of this act concerning notification (W.S. 40-14-631)
or payment of fees (W.S. 40-14-632), is guilty of a misdemeanor
and upon conviction may be sentenced to pay a fine not exceeding
one thousand dollars ($1,000.00).
40-14-541.
Disclosure violations.
(a) A person is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon
conviction may be sentenced to pay a fine not exceeding five
thousand dollars ($5,000.00), or to imprisonment not exceeding
one (1) year, or both, if he willfully and knowingly:
(i) Gives false or inaccurate information or fails to
provide information which he is required to disclose under the
provisions of this act on disclosure and advertising (part 3) of
the article on credit sales (article 2) or of the article on
loans (article 3), or of any related rule of the administrator
adopted pursuant to this act;
(ii) Uses any rate table or chart, the use of which
is authorized by rule of the administrator adopted pursuant to
the provisions on calculation of rate to be disclosed (W.S.
40-14-225 and 40-14-323), in a manner which consistently
understates the annual percentage rate determined according to
those provisions; or
(iii) Otherwise fails to comply with any requirement
of provisions of this act on disclosure and advertising (part 3)
of the article on credit sales (article 2) or of the article on
loans (article 3), or of any related rule of the administrator
adopted pursuant to this act.
ARTICLE 6
ADMINISTRATION
40-14-601.
Short title.
This article shall be known and may be cited as "Uniform
Consumer Credit Code-Administration."
40-14-602.
(a)
Applicability.
This part applies to persons who in this state:
(i) Make or solicit consumer credit sales, consumer
leases, consumer loans, consumer related sales (W.S. 40-14-257)
and consumer related loans (W.S. 40-14-355); or
(ii) Directly collect payments from or enforce rights
against debtors arising from sales, leases, or loans specified
in paragraph (i) of this subsection, wherever they are made.
40-14-603.
Administrator.
"Administrator" means the state banking commissioner of the
state of Wyoming.
40-14-604. Powers of administrator; harmony with federal
regulations; reliance on rules; duty to report and cooperate.
(a) In addition to other powers granted by this act, the
administrator within the limitations provided by law may:
(i) Receive and act on complaints, take action
designed to obtain voluntary compliance with this act, or
commence proceedings on his own initiative;
(ii) Counsel persons and groups on their rights and
duties under this act;
(iii) Establish programs for the education of
consumers with respect to credit practices and problems;
(iv) Make studies appropriate to effectuate the
purposes and policies of this act and make the results available
to the public;
(v) Adopt, amend, and repeal substantive rules when
specifically authorized by this act, and adopt, amend, and
repeal procedural rules to carry out the provisions of this act;
(vi) Appoint any necessary hearing examiners, clerks,
and other employees and agents and fix their compensation, and
request the attorney general to appoint attorneys necessary to
represent the administrator in the enforcement of this act;
(vii) Require a licensee under this act or an
applicant for a license issued under this act to submit to a
background investigation including fingerprint checks for state,
national and international criminal history record checks as
necessary. While exercising his authority under this paragraph,
the administrator may utilize background checks completed by the
division of criminal investigation, other government agencies in
this state or in other states, the federal bureau of
investigation, the registry or another entity designated by the
registry;
(viii) Determine the content of application forms and
the means by which an applicant applies for, renews or amends a
license under this act. The administrator may allow applicants
to utilize the registry or an entity designated by the registry
for the processing of applications and fees.
(b) The administrator may adopt rules not inconsistent
with the federal Consumer Credit Protection Act to assure a
meaningful disclosure of credit terms so that a prospective
debtor will be able to compare more readily the various credit
terms available to him and to avoid the uninformed use of
credit. These rules may contain classifications,
differentiations or other provisions, and may provide for
adjustments and exceptions for any class of transactions subject
to this act which in the judgment of the administrator are
necessary or proper to effectuate the purposes or to prevent
circumvention or evasion of, or to facilitate compliance with,
the provisions of this act relating to disclosure of credit
terms.
(c) To keep the administrator's rules in harmony with the
federal Consumer Credit Protection Act and with the rules of
administrators in other jurisdictions which enact the Uniform
Consumer Credit Code, the administrator, so far as is consistent
with the purposes, policies and provisions of this act, may:
(i) Before adopting, amending, and repealing rules,
advise and consult with administrators in other jurisdictions
which enact the Uniform Consumer Credit Code; and
(ii) In adopting, amending, and repealing rules, take
into consideration:
(A) The regulations so prescribed by the
consumer financial protection bureau; and
(B) The rules of administrators in other
jurisdictions which enact the Uniform Consumer Credit Code.
(d) Except for return of an excess charge, no liability is
imposed under this act for an act done or omitted in conformity
with a rule of the administrator notwithstanding that after the
act or omission the rule may be amended or repealed or be
determined by judicial or other authority to be invalid for any
reason.
(e) The administrator shall, as required by W.S. 9-2-1014,
report to the governor on the operation of his office, on the
use of consumer credit in the state, and on the problems of
persons of small means obtaining credit from persons regularly
engaged in extending sales or loan credit. For the purpose of
making the report, the administrator is authorized to conduct
research and make appropriate studies. The report shall include
a description of the examination and investigation procedures
and policies of his office, a statement of policies followed in
deciding whether to investigate or examine the offices of credit
suppliers subject to this act, a statement of the number and
percentages of offices which are periodically investigated or
examined, a statement of the types of consumer credit problems
of both creditors and debtors which have come to his attention
through his examinations and investigations and the disposition
of them under existing law and a general statement of the
activities of his office and of others to promote the purposes
of this act. The report shall not identify the creditors against
whom action is taken by the administrator.
(f) Any person refusing or obstructing access to the
administrator or representatives designated by the administrator
to any accounts, books, records or papers, refusing to furnish
any required information, or hindering a full examination or
investigation of the accounts, books, records or papers, is
guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than
seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), imprisonment for a period
of not more than six (6) months, or both.
(g) Any person who wrongfully fails or refuses to comply
with an order of the administrator as may be provided for under
this act is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not
more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) per day for each day the
order is not complied with.
(h) Any person
administrator as may
civil penalty of not
each day the reports
reports are required
failing to submit reports to the
be required under this act is subject to a
more than ten dollars ($10.00) per day for
are delayed beyond the stated time the
to be submitted.
(j) Reports required of persons by the administrator under
this act and materials relating to examinations and
investigations of persons subject to this act shall be subject
to the provisions of W.S. 16-4-203(d)(v) and 9-1-512, as
applicable.
40-14-605. Administrative powers with respect to
supervised financial organizations.
(a) With respect to supervised financial organizations,
the powers of examination and investigation (W.S. 40-14-606) and
administrative enforcement (W.S. 40-14-608) shall be exercised
by the official or agency to whose supervision the organization
is subject. All other powers of the administrator under this act
may be exercised by him with respect to a supervised financial
organization.
(b) If the administrator receives a complaint or other
information concerning noncompliance with this act by a
supervised financial organization, he shall inform the official
or agency having supervisory authority over the organization
concerned. The administrator may request information about
supervised financial organizations from the officials or
agencies supervising them.
(c) The administrator and any official or agency of this
state having supervisory authority over a supervised financial
organization are authorized and directed to consult and assist
one another in maintaining compliance with this act. They may
jointly pursue investigations, prosecute suits, and take other
official action, as they deem appropriate, if either of them
otherwise is empowered to take the action.
40-14-606.
Examination and investigatory powers.
(a) The administrator may conduct examinations of persons
licensed under this act at intervals he deems necessary to
determine whether violations of this act and other applicable
laws, rules and regulations pertaining to consumer credit are
occurring and the frequency and seriousness of such violations.
(b) In addition to the examinations provided for in
subsection (a) of this section, if the administrator has
probable cause to believe that a person has engaged in an act
which is subject to action by the administrator, he may make an
investigation to determine if the act has been committed, and,
to the extent necessary for this purpose, may administer oaths
or affirmations, and, upon his own motion or upon request of any
party, may subpoena witnesses, compel their attendance, adduce
evidence, and require the production of any matter which is
relevant to the investigation, including the existence,
description, nature, custody, condition, and location of any
books, documents, or other tangible things and the identity and
location of persons having knowledge of relevant facts, or any
other matter reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of
admissible evidence.
(c) If the person's records are located outside this
state, the person at his option shall either make them available
at a location within this state convenient to the administrator
or pay the reasonable and necessary expenses for the
administrator or his representative to examine them at the place
where they are maintained. For the purpose of this section, the
administrator shall have free and reasonable access during
normal business hours to the offices, place of business and
records of the person being examined or investigated. The
administrator may designate representatives, including
comparable officials of the state in which the records are
located, to inspect them on his behalf.
(d) Upon failure without lawful excuse to obey a subpoena
or to give testimony and upon reasonable notice to all persons
affected thereby, the administrator may apply to the district
court for an order compelling compliance.
(e) The administrator shall not make public the name or
identity of a person whose acts or conduct he investigates
pursuant to this section or the facts disclosed in the
investigation, but this subsection does not apply to disclosures
in actions or enforcement proceedings pursuant to this act.
(f) Each licensee or person subject to examination or
investigation under this act shall pay to the administrator an
amount assessed by the administrator to cover the direct and
indirect cost of examinations or investigations conducted
pursuant to this section.
40-14-607.
Applicability of Administrative Procedure Act.
Except as otherwise provided, the Wyoming Administrative
Procedure Act applies to and governs all administrative action
taken by the administrator pursuant to this act.
40-14-608.
Administrative enforcement orders.
(a) After notice and hearing the administrator may order a
creditor or a person acting in his behalf to cease and desist
from engaging in violations of this act. A respondent aggrieved
by an order of the administrator may obtain judicial review of
the order and the administrator may obtain an order of the court
for enforcement of its order in the district court. The
proceeding for review or enforcement is initiated by filing a
petition in the court. Copies of the petition shall be served
upon all parties of record.
(b) Within thirty (30) days after service of the petition
for review upon the administrator, or within any further time
the court may allow, the administrator shall transmit to the
court the original or a certified copy of the entire record upon
which the order is based, including any transcript of testimony,
which need not be printed. By stipulation of all parties to the
review proceeding, the record may be shortened. After hearing,
the court may:
(i) Reverse or modify the order if the findings of
fact of the administrator are clearly erroneous in view of the
reliable, probative, and substantial evidence on the whole
record;
(ii) Grant any temporary relief or restraining order
it deems just; and
(iii) Enter an order enforcing, modifying, and
enforcing as modified, or setting aside in whole or in part the
order of the administrator, or remanding the case to the
administrator for further proceedings.
(c) An objection not urged at the hearing shall not be
considered by the court unless the failure to urge the objection
is excused for good cause shown. A party may move the court to
remand the case to the administrator in the interest of justice
for the purpose of adducing additional specified and material
evidence and seeking findings thereon upon good cause shown for
the failure to adduce this evidence before the administrator.
(d) The jurisdiction of the court shall be exclusive and
its final judgment or decree shall be subject to review by the
supreme court as provided by the Wyoming Rules of Civil
Procedure and the Rules of the Supreme Court [by the Wyoming
Rules of Appellate Procedure]. The administrator's copy of the
testimony shall be available at reasonable times to all parties
for examination without cost.
(e) A proceeding for review under this section must be
initiated within thirty (30) days after a copy of the order of
the administrator is received by the creditor or person acting
on his behalf. If no proceeding is so initiated, the
administrator may obtain a decree of the district court for
enforcement of its order upon a showing that the order was
issued in compliance with this section, that no proceeding for
review was initiated within thirty (30) days after copy of the
order was received, and that the respondent is subject to the
jurisdiction of the court.
(f) With respect to unconscionable agreements or
fraudulent or unconscionable conduct by the respondent, the
administrator may not issue an order pursuant to this section
but may bring a civil action for an injunction (W.S. 40-14-611).
40-14-609.
Assurance of discontinuance.
If it is claimed that a person has engaged in conduct subject to
an order by the administrator (W.S. 40-14-608) or by a court
(W.S. 40-14-610 through 40-14-612), the administrator may accept
an assurance in writing that the person will not engage in the
conduct in the future. If a person giving an assurance of
discontinuance fails to comply with its terms, the assurance is
evidence that prior to the assurance he engaged in the conduct
described in the assurance.
40-14-610.
Injunctions against violations.
The administrator may bring a civil action to restrain a person
from violating this act and for other appropriate relief.
40-14-611. Injunctions against unconscionable agreements
and fraudulent or unconscionable conduct.
(a) The administrator may bring a civil action to restrain
a creditor or a person acting in his behalf from engaging in a
course of:
(i) Making or enforcing unconscionable terms or
provisions of consumer credit sales, consumer leases, or
consumer loans;
(ii) Fraudulent or unconscionable conduct in inducing
debtors to enter into consumer credit sales, consumer leases, or
consumer loans; or
(iii) Fraudulent or unconscionable conduct in the
collection of debts arising from consumer credit sales, consumer
leases, or consumer loans.
(b) In an action brought pursuant to this section the
court may grant relief only if it finds:
(i) That the respondent has made unconscionable
agreements or has engaged or is likely to engage in a course of
fraudulent or unconscionable conduct;
(ii) That the agreements or conduct of the respondent
has caused or is likely to cause injury to consumers; and
(iii) That the respondent has been able to cause or
will be able to cause the injury primarily because the
transactions involved are credit transactions.
(c) In applying this section, consideration shall be given
to each of the following factors, among others:
(i) Belief by the creditor at the time consumer
credit sales, consumer leases, or consumer loans are made that
there was no reasonable probability of payment in full of the
obligation by the debtor;
(ii) In the case of consumer credit sales or consumer
leases, knowledge by the seller or lessor at the time of the
sale or lease of the inability of the buyer or lessee to receive
substantial benefits from the property or services sold or
leased;
(iii) In the case of consumer credit sales or
consumer leases, gross disparity between the price of the
property or services sold or leased and the value of the
property or services measured by the price at which similar
property or services are readily obtainable in credit
transactions by like buyers or lessees;
(iv) The fact that the creditor contracted for or
received separate charges for insurance with respect to consumer
credit sales or consumer loans with the effect of making the
sales or loans, considered as a whole, unconscionable; and
(v) The fact that the respondent has knowingly taken
advantage of the inability of the debtor reasonably to protect
his interests by reason of physical or mental infirmities,
ignorance, illiteracy or inability to understand the language of
the agreement, or similar factors.
(d) In an action brought pursuant to this section, a
charge or practice expressly permitted by this act is not in
itself unconscionable.
40-14-612.
Temporary relief.
With respect to an action brought to enjoin violations of the
act (W.S. 40-14-610) or unconscionable agreements or fraudulent
or unconscionable conduct (W.S. 40-14-611), the administrator
may apply to the court for appropriate temporary relief against
a respondent, pending final determination of proceedings. If the
court finds after a hearing held upon notice to the respondent
that there is reasonable cause to believe that the respondent is
engaging in or is likely to engage in conduct sought to be
restrained, it may grant any temporary relief or restraining
order it deems appropriate.
40-14-613.
Civil actions.
(a) After demand, the administrator may bring a civil
action against a creditor for making or collecting charges in
excess of those permitted by this act. An action may relate to
transactions with more than one (1) debtor. If it is found that
an excess charge has been made, the court shall order the
respondent to refund to the debtor or debtors the amount of the
excess charge. If a creditor has made an excess charge in
deliberate violation of or in reckless disregard for this act,
or if a creditor has refused to refund an excess charge within a
reasonable time after demand by the debtor or the administrator,
the court may also order the respondent to pay to the debtor or
debtors a civil penalty in an amount determined by the court not
in excess of the greater of either the amount of the credit
service or loan finance charge or ten (10) times the amount of
the excess charge. Refunds and penalties to which the debtor is
entitled pursuant to this subsection may be set off against the
debtor's obligation. If a debtor brings an action against a
creditor to recover an excess charge or civil penalty, an action
by the administrator to recover for the same excess charge or
civil penalty shall be stayed while the debtor's action is
pending and shall be dismissed if the debtor's action is
dismissed with prejudice or results in a final judgment granting
or denying the debtor's claim. With respect to excess charges
arising from sales made pursuant to revolving charge accounts or
from loans made pursuant to revolving loan accounts, no action
pursuant to this subsection may be brought more than two (2)
years after the time the excess charge was made. With respect to
excess charges arising from other consumer credit sales or
consumer loans, no action pursuant to this subsection may be
brought more than one (1) year after the due date of the last
scheduled payment of the agreement pursuant to which the charge
was made. If the creditor establishes by a preponderance of
evidence that a violation is unintentional or the result of a
bona fide error, no liability to pay a penalty shall be imposed
under this subsection.
(b) The administrator may bring a civil action against a
creditor or a person acting in his behalf to recover a civil
penalty for willfully violating this act, and if the court finds
that the defendant has engaged in a course of repeated and
willful violations of this act, it may assess a civil penalty of
no more than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00). No civil penalty
pursuant to this subsection may be imposed for violations of
this act occurring more than two (2) years before the action is
brought or for making unconscionable agreements or engaging in a
course of fraudulent or unconscionable conduct.
40-14-614.
Jury trial.
In an action brought by the administrator under this act, he has
no right to trial by jury.
40-14-615.
Debtors' remedies not affected.
The grant of powers to the administrator in this article does
not affect remedies available to debtors under this act or under
other principles of law or equity.
40-14-616.
Enforcement.
(a) The administrator, in carrying out enforcement
activities under this section, in cases where an annual
percentage rate or finance charge was inaccurately disclosed,
shall notify the creditor of the disclosure error and is
authorized, in accordance with this section, to require the
creditor to make an adjustment to the account of the person to
whom credit was extended, to assure that the person will not be
required to pay a finance charge in excess of the finance charge
actually disclosed or the dollar equivalent of the annual
percentage rate actually disclosed, whichever is lower. For the
purposes of this section, except where the disclosure error
resulted from a willful violation which was intended to mislead
the person to whom credit was extended, in determining whether a
disclosure error has occurred and in calculating any adjustment:
(i)
The administrator shall apply:
(A) For transactions consummated after January
1, 1977, until March 31, 1982, with respect to the annual
percentage rate, a tolerance of one-quarter of one percent
(.25%) more or less than the actual rate determined without
regard to W.S. 40-14-225 and 40-14-323, except in the case of an
irregular mortgage lending transaction consummated between
January 1, 1977, and March 31, 1982, in which a tolerance of
one-half of one percent (.5%) is allowed; and
(B) With respect to the finance charge, a
corresponding numerical tolerance as generated by the tolerance
provided under this section for the annual percentage rate,
except that with respect to transactions consummated on or
after April 1, 1982 the administrator shall apply:
(I) For transactions that have a scheduled
amortization of ten (10) years or less with respect to the
annual percentage rate, a tolerance not to exceed one-quarter of
one percent (.25%) more or less than the actual rate determined
without regard to W.S. 40-14-225 and 40-14-323;
(II) For transactions that have a scheduled
amortization of more than ten (10) years, with respect to the
annual percentage rate, only such tolerances as are allowed
under W.S. 40-14-225 and 40-14-323; and
(III) For all transactions, with respect to
the finance charge, a corresponding numerical tolerance as
generated by the tolerances provided under this subsection for
the annual percentage rate.
(b) The administrator shall require an adjustment when he
determines that the disclosure error resulted from a clear and
consistent pattern or practice of violations, gross negligence
or a willful violation which was intended to mislead the person
to whom the credit was extended. Notwithstanding the preceding
sentence, except where the disclosure error resulted from a
willful violation which was intended to mislead the person to
whom credit was extended, the administrator need not require
such an adjustment if he determines that the disclosure error:
(i) Resulted from an error involving the disclosure
of a fee or charge that would otherwise be excludable in
computing the finance charge, including but not limited to
violations involving the disclosures described in rules adopted
by the administrator in which event the administrator may
require such remedial action as he determines to be equitable,
except that for transactions consummated on or after April 1,
1982 the adjustment shall be ordered for violations of W.S.
40-14-213(b) and 40-14-311(b);
(ii) Involved a disclosed amount which was ten
percent (10%) or less of the amount that should have been
disclosed and, in cases where the error involved a disclosed
finance charge, the annual percentage rate was disclosed
correctly, and, in cases where the error involved a disclosed
annual percentage rate, the finance charge was disclosed
correctly, in which event the administrator may require such
adjustment as he determines to be equitable;
(iii) Involved a total failure to disclose either the
annual percentage rate or the finance charge, in which event the
administrator may require any adjustment as he determines to be
equitable; or
(iv) Resulted from any other unique circumstance
involving clearly technical and nonsubstantive disclosure
violations that do not adversely affect information provided to
the consumer and that have not misled or otherwise deceived the
consumer.
(c) In the case of other disclosure errors, the
administrator may require such an adjustment.
(d) Notwithstanding subsection (b) of this section, no
adjustment shall be ordered:
(i) If it would have a significantly adverse impact
upon the safety or soundness of the creditor, but, in any such
case, the administrator may require a partial adjustment in an
amount which does not have such an impact, except that, with
respect to any transaction consummated after the effective date
of this section, the administrator shall require the full
adjustment, but permit the creditor to make the required
adjustment in partial payments over an extended period of time
which the administrator considers to be reasonable;
(ii) If the amount of the adjustment would be less
than one dollar ($1.00), except that if more than one (1) year
has elapsed since the date of the violation, the administrator
may require that the amount shall be paid into the state
treasury; or
(iii) Except where disclosure error resulted from a
willful violation which was intended to mislead the person to
whom credit was extended, in the case of an open-end credit
plan, more than two (2) years after the violation, or in the
case of any other extension of credit, as follows:
(A) With respect to creditors that are subject
to examination by the administrator, except in connection with
violations arising from practices identified in the current
examination and only in connection with transactions that are
consummated after the date of the immediately preceding
examination, except that where practices giving rise to
violations identified in earlier examinations have not been
corrected, adjustments for those violations shall be required in
connection with transactions consummated after the date of the
examination in which the practices were first identified;
(B) With respect to creditors that are not
subject to examination by the administrator, except in
connection with transactions that are consummated after March
31, 1980; and
(C) In no event after the later of the
expiration of the life of the credit extension or two (2) years
after the agreement to extend credit was consummated.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section,
an adjustment under this subsection may be required by the
administrator only by an order issued in accordance with the
rules and regulations of the administrator pursuant to this act.
(f) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this
subsection and notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
administrator may not require a creditor to make dollar
adjustments for errors in any requirements under this act except
as otherwise specifically provided.
(g) A creditor is not subject to an order to make an
adjustment, if, within sixty (60) days after discovering a
disclosure error, whether pursuant to a final written
examination report or through the creditor's own procedures, the
creditor notifies the person concerned of the error and adjusts
the account so as to assure that the person will not be required
to pay a finance charge in excess of the finance charge actually
disclosed or the dollar equivalent of the annual percentage rate
actually disclosed, whichever is lower.
(h) Notwithstanding the second sentence of subsection (a),
subparagraph (d)(iii)(A) and subparagraph (d)(iii)(B) of this
section, the administrator shall require an adjustment for an
annual percentage rate disclosure error that exceeds a tolerance
of one-quarter of one percent (.25%) less than the actual rate
determined without regard to W.S. 40-14-225 and 40-14-323,
except in the case of an irregular mortgage lending transaction
with respect to any transaction consummated between January 1,
1977 and March 31, 1980.
40-14-630.
Applicability.
This part applies to a person engaged in this state in making
consumer credit sales, consumer leases or consumer loans,
including a pawnbroker, sales finance company and post-dated
check casher, and to a person having an office or place of
business who takes assignments of and undertakes direct
collection of payments from or enforcement of rights against
debtors arising from these sales, leases or loans.
40-14-631.
Notification.
(a) Persons subject to this part shall file notification
with the administrator within thirty (30) days after commencing
business in this state, and, thereafter, on or before January 31
of each year. The notification shall state:
(i)
Name of the person;
(ii) Name in which business is transacted if
different from paragraph (a)(i) of this section;
(iii) Address of principal office, which may be
outside this state;
(iv) Address of all offices or retail stores, if any,
in this state at which consumer credit sales, consumer leases,
or consumer loans are made, or in the case of a person taking
assignments of obligations, the offices or places of business
within this state at which business is transacted;
(v) If consumer credit sales, consumer leases, or
consumer loans are made otherwise than at an office or retail
store in this state, a brief description of the manner in which
they are made;
(vi) Address of designated agent upon whom service of
process may be made in this state; and
(vii)
Whether supervised loans are made.
(b) If information in a notification becomes inaccurate
after filing, such change shall be promptly given the
administrator.
40-14-632.
Fees.
(a) A person required to file notification shall on or
before January 31 of each year pay to the administrator an
annual fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for that year.
(b) Persons required to file notification who are sellers,
lessors or lenders shall pay an additional fee at the time and
in the manner stated in subsection (a) of this section of
twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for each one hundred thousand
dollars ($100,000.00), or part thereof, in excess of one hundred
thousand dollars ($100,000.00), of the original unpaid balances
arising from consumer credit sales, consumer leases and consumer
loans made in this state within the preceding calendar year and
held either by the seller, lessor or lender for more than thirty
(30) days after the inception of the sale, lease or loan giving
rise to the obligations, or by an assignee who has not filed
notification. A refinancing of a sale, lease or loan resulting
in an increase in the amount of an obligation is considered a
new sale, lease or loan to the extent of the amount of the
increase. The administrator may by rule increase this fee to an
amount not greater than thirty-five dollars ($35.00) per one
hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00), or part thereof, in
excess of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) of the
original unpaid balances if he determines that an increase is
necessary to cover the cost of administration of this act.
(c) Persons required to file notification who are
assignees shall pay an additional fee at the time and in the
manner stated in subsection (a) of this section of twenty-five
dollars ($25.00) for each one hundred thousand dollars
($100,000.00), or part thereof, of the unpaid balances at the
time of the assignment of obligations arising from consumer
credit sales, consumer leases and consumer loans made in this
state taken by assignment during the preceding calendar year,
but an assignee need not pay a fee with respect to an obligation
on which the assignor or other person has already paid a fee.
The administrator may by rule increase this fee to an amount not
greater than thirty-five dollars ($35.00) per one hundred
thousand dollars ($100,000.00), or part thereof, in excess of
one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) if he determines that
an increase is necessary to cover the cost of administration of
this act.
40-14-633.
Crediting of monies.
All fees and other monies received by the administrator under
the provisions of this act shall be deposited by the
administrator with the state treasurer and credited to the
consumer credit administration account, except the amount paid
for data processing by the registry or any other entity
designated by the registry. The funds deposited in the account
under this act shall be subject to appropriation by the
legislature to the administrator and shall be expended only to
carry out the duties of the administrator. Expenditures shall
be made from the account by warrants drawn by the state auditor,
upon vouchers issued and signed by the administrator.
40-14-634. License required; application; fee; conditions
and execution; license nontransferable; display; renewal.
(a) The administrator shall receive and act on all
applications for licenses required under this act. Applications
shall be filed in the manner prescribed by the administrator and
shall contain the information the administrator requires by rule
to make an evaluation of the financial responsibility, character
and business qualifications of the applicant.
(b) The administrator shall issue a license unless, upon
investigation, he finds that the financial responsibility,
character and business qualifications of the applicant, and of
the members thereof, if the applicant is a partnership or
association, and of the officers and directors thereof if the
applicant is a corporation, are such as to warrant belief that
the business will not be operated honestly and fairly within the
purposes of this act.
(c) The application for one (1) or more licenses shall be
accompanied by a processing fee not to exceed five hundred
dollars ($500.00) for each license applied for, as set by rule
of the administrator. If the expenses of the investigation and
evaluation exceed the amount of the fee, the applicant shall
reimburse the administrator the excess amount. If the expenses
of the investigation and evaluation are less than the amount of
the fee or if the application is withdrawn prior to the
completion of the investigation and evaluation, the unexpended
amount shall remain in the consumer credit administration
account to be expended in accordance with W.S. 40-14-633.
(d) An applicant shall be notified when the application is
approved. Within twenty (20) days after notification, the
applicant shall pay an initial license fee not to exceed five
hundred dollars ($500.00), as set by rule of the administrator.
(e) Each office or place of business shall be licensed
separately.
(f) The license shall be prominently displayed at the
place of business named in the license. The license shall not
be transferable or assignable.
(g) If a licensee wishes to move his office to another
location, the licensee shall:
(i) Give at least thirty (30) days written notice to
the administrator; and
(ii) Pay a license modification fee not to exceed one
hundred dollars ($100.00), as set by rule of the administrator.
(h) Each license issued under this act shall expire on
December 31. The license shall be renewed annually not less
than thirty (30) days before the stated expiration date. The
renewal fee for each license shall not exceed five hundred
dollars ($500.00), as set by rule of the administrator.
(j) Upon written request, the applicant is entitled to a
hearing on the question of his qualifications for a license if:
(i) The administrator has notified the applicant in
writing that his application has been denied; or
(ii) The administrator has not issued a license
within sixty (60) days after the application for the license was
filed. A request for a hearing may not be made more than fifteen
(15) days after the administrator has mailed a writing to the
applicant notifying him that the application has been denied and
stating in substance the administrator's findings supporting
denial of the application.
(k) The administrator may establish different fees
authorized under this section for each category of licensee. The
administrator shall establish fees in accordance with the
following:
(i) Fees shall be established by rule or regulation
promulgated in accordance with the Wyoming Administrative
Procedure Act;
(ii) Fees shall be established in an amount to ensure
that, to the extent practicable, the total revenue generated
from the fees collected approximates, but does not exceed, the
direct and indirect costs of administering the regulatory
provisions required under this act;
(iii) The administrator shall maintain records
sufficient to support the fees charged.
(m) A license shall not be issued under subsection (b) of
this section if the applicant has been convicted of, pled guilty
or nolo contendere to, a felony in a domestic, foreign or
military court during the seven (7) year period preceding the
date of the application for licensing, or at any time preceding
such date of application if such felony involved an act of
fraud, dishonesty, breach of trust or money laundering.
(n) A license may be issued at the discretion of the
administrator under subsection (b) of this section if the
applicant has been convicted of, pled guilty or nolo contendere
to a misdemeanor in a domestic, foreign or military court
involving an act of fraud, dishonesty, breach of trust or money
laundering.
(o) In order to fulfill the purposes of this act, the
administrator may establish relationships or contract with the
registry or any other entity designated by the registry to
collect and maintain records and process transaction fees or
other fees related to licensees or other persons subject to this
act.
(p) In addition to the other requirements of this section,
in connection with an application for licensing, the applicant
shall, at a minimum, furnish to the administrator or the
registry information concerning the identity of the applicant,
the owners or persons in charge of the applicant and individuals
designated in charge of the applicant's places of business,
including:
(i) Fingerprints for submission to the federal bureau
of investigation, and any governmental agency or entity
authorized to receive such information for a state, national and
international criminal history background check; and
(ii) Personal history and experience, including the
submission of authorization for the registry or the
administrator to obtain:
(A) An independent credit report obtained from a
consumer reporting agency described in section 603(p) of the
federal Fair Credit Reporting Act; and
(B) Information related to any administrative,
civil or criminal findings by any governmental jurisdiction.
(q) For the purposes of this section and in order to
reduce the points of contact which the federal bureau of
investigation may have to maintain for purposes of paragraph
(p)(i) of this section and subparagraph (p)(ii)(B) of this
section, the administrator may use the registry as a channeling
agent for requesting information from and distributing
information to the department of justice or any governmental
agency.
(r) For the purposes of this section and in order to
reduce the points of contact which the administrator may have to
maintain for purposes of paragraph (p)(ii) of this section, the
administrator may use the registry as a channeling agent for
requesting and distributing information to and from any source
as directed by the administrator.
40-14-635.
Revocation or suspension of license.
(a) The administrator may issue to a person licensed under
this act an order to show cause why his license should not be
revoked or suspended for a period not in excess of six (6)
months. The order shall state the place for a hearing and set a
time for the hearing that is no less than ten (10) days from the
date of the order. After the hearing the administrator shall
revoke or suspend the license if he finds that:
(i) The licensee has repeatedly and willfully
violated this act or any rule or order lawfully made pursuant to
this act; or
(ii) Facts or conditions exist which would clearly
have justified the administrator in refusing to grant a license
had these facts or conditions been known to exist at the time
the application for the license was made.
(b) No revocation or suspension of a license is lawful
unless prior to institution of proceedings by the administrator
notice is given to the licensee of the facts or conduct which
warrant the intended action, and the licensee is given an
opportunity to show compliance with all lawful requirements for
retention of the license.
(c) If the administrator finds that probable cause for
revocation of a license exists and that enforcement of this act
requires immediate suspension of a license pending
investigation, he may, after a hearing upon five (5) days
written notice, enter an order suspending the license for not
more than thirty (30) days.
(d) Whenever the administrator revokes or suspends a
license, he shall enter an order to that effect and forthwith
notify the licensee of the revocation or suspension. Within five
(5) days after the entry of the order he shall deliver to the
licensee a copy of the order and the findings supporting the
order.
(e) Any person holding a license under this act may
relinquish the license by notifying the administrator in writing
of its relinquishment, but this relinquishment shall not affect
his liability for acts previously committed.
(f) No revocation, suspension or relinquishment of a
license shall impair or affect the obligation of any preexisting
lawful contract between the licensee and any consumer.
(g) The administrator may reinstate a license, terminate a
suspension or grant a new license to a person whose license has
been revoked or suspended if no fact or condition then exists
which clearly would have justified the administrator in refusing
to grant a license.
(h) For purposes of this section, "licensee" shall also
mean a licensed mortgage loan originator pursuant to W.S.
40-14-641.
40-14-636.
Records; confidentiality.
(a) For purposes of this section, "licensee" shall also
mean a licensed mortgage loan originator pursuant to W.S.
40-14-640 and an organization employing or contracting with a
mortgage loan originator.
(b) Every licensee shall maintain records in a manner that
will enable the administrator to determine whether the licensee
is complying with the provisions of this act. The administrator
may by rule, and in accordance with W.S. 40-14-606(c), specify
the manner in which records are to be made available. The
records need not be kept in the place of business of the
licensee, if the administrator is given free access to the
records wherever located. The records pertaining to any
transaction governed by this act need not be preserved for more
than two (2) years after making the final entry relating to the
transaction. In the case of a revolving loan account the two
(2) years is measured from the date of each entry.
(c) Except as provided in subsections (d), (e) and (j) of
this section, all information or reports obtained by the
administrator from an applicant or licensee are confidential.
(d) Except as provided in P.L. 110-289, section 1512, the
requirements under any federal or state law regarding the
privacy or confidentiality of any information or material
provided to the registry, and any privilege arising under
federal or state law, including the rules of any federal or
state court, with respect to such information or material, shall
continue to apply to such information or material after the
information or material has been disclosed to the registry.
Such information and any other confidential material obtained by
the administrator may be shared with all state and federal
regulatory officials with mortgage industry oversight authority
without the loss of privilege or the loss of confidentiality
protections provided by federal or state law.
(e) The administrator may enter into cooperative,
coordinating or information sharing agreements with any other
supervisory agency or any organization affiliated with or
representing one (1) or more supervisory agencies with respect
to the periodic examination or other supervision of any office
in Wyoming of an out-of-state licensee, and the administrator
may accept the parties' reports of examination and reports of
investigation in lieu of conducting his own examinations or
investigations.
(f) Information or material that is subject to a privilege
or confidentiality protection under subsection (d) of this
section shall not be subject to:
(i) Disclosure under any federal or state law
governing the disclosure to the public of information held by an
officer or agency of the federal government or the respective
state; or
(ii) Subpoena, discovery or admission into evidence,
in any private civil action or administrative process, unless
with respect to any privilege held by the registry with respect
to such information or material, the person to whom such
information or material pertains waives that privilege, in whole
or in part.
(g) Any Wyoming law relating to the disclosure of
confidential supervisory information or any information or
material described in subsection (d) of this section that is
inconsistent with subsection (d) of this section shall be
superceded by the requirements of this section.
(h) This section shall not apply with respect to the
information or material relating to the employment history of,
and publicly adjudicated disciplinary and enforcement actions
against, mortgage loan originator that is included in the
registry for access by the public.
(j) The administrator may enter into contracts with any
supervisory agency having concurrent jurisdiction over a Wyoming
licensee pursuant to this act to engage the services of the
agency's examiners at a reasonable rate of compensation. Any
contract under this subsection shall not be subject to the
provisions of W.S. 9-2-1016(b).
(k) This section does not prohibit the administrator from
disclosing to the public a list of persons licensed under this
act.
40-14-637.
Surety bonds.
(a) Any organization employing or contracting with a
mortgage loan originator shall maintain a surety bond to the
state of Wyoming in accordance with this section. The surety
bond shall be used to cover individual mortgage loan originators
employed by or under contract with the organization. The amount
of the bond shall be established by rule of the administrator
based upon the volume of residential mortgage loan activity
transacted by the organization under this act.
(b) The surety bond shall be a continuing obligation of
the issuing surety. The surety's liability under the bond for
any claims made under the bond either individually or in the
aggregate shall in no event exceed the face amount of the bond
issued. The bond shall be issued by a surety authorized to do
business in the state of Wyoming. The bond, including any and
all riders and endorsements executed subsequent to the effective
date of the bond, shall be placed on file with the
administrator.
(c) In the event an organization or mortgage loan
originator employed by or under contract with an organization
has violated any of the provisions of this act or a rule or
order lawfully made pursuant to this act pertaining to a
residential mortgage loan transaction, or federal law or
regulation pertaining to the mortgage lending or mortgage
brokering, and has damaged any person by such violation, then
the bond shall be forfeited and paid by the surety to the state
of Wyoming for the benefit of any person so damaged, in an
amount sufficient to satisfy the violation or the bond in its
entirety if the violation exceeds the amount of the bond.
(d) Surety bonds shall remain effective continuously until
released in writing by the administrator. If a bond has not
been previously released by the administrator, the bond shall
expire two (2) years after the date of the surrender, revocation
or expiration of the license.
40-14-638.
Mortgage call reports.
Each organization employing or contracting with a mortgage loan
originator shall submit to the registry reports of condition,
which shall be in such form and shall contain such information
as required by the registry.
40-14-639.
Report to the registry.
The administrator shall regularly report violations of this act
relating to transactions conducted by mortgage loan originators,
as well as enforcement actions and other relevant information,
to the registry subject to the provisions contained in W.S.
40-14-636. The administrator shall establish by rule a process
where a mortgage loan originator may challenge information
entered into the registry by the administrator.
40-14-640.
(a)
Additional definitions.
As used in this part:
(i)
(ii)
Repealed By Laws 2013, Ch. 27, § 2.
"Clerical or support duties" means:
(A) The receipt, collection, distribution and
analysis of information common for the processing or
underwriting of a residential mortgage loan; and
(B) Communicating with a consumer to obtain the
information necessary for the processing or underwriting of a
loan, to the extent that such communication does not include
offering or negotiating loan rates or terms, or counseling
consumers about residential mortgage loan rates or terms;
(iii) "Depository institution" means an organization
as defined in 12 U.S.C. 1813 of the Federal Deposit Insurance
Act and includes any credit union;
(iv) "Dwelling" means a residential structure that
contains one (1) to four (4) units, whether or not that
structure is attached to real property. "Dwelling", if it is
used as a residence, includes an individual condominium unit,
cooperative unit, mobile home and trailer;
(v) "Federal banking agency" means the board of
governors of the federal reserve system, the comptroller of the
currency, the director of the office of thrift supervision, the
national credit union administration or the federal deposit
insurance corporation;
(vi) "Immediate family member" means a spouse, child,
sibling, parent, grandparent, grandchild, stepparent, stepchild,
stepsibling and any adoptive relationship included in this
paragraph;
(vii)
"Individual" means a natural person;
(viii) "Loan processor or underwriter" means an
individual who performs clerical or support duties as an
employee at the direction of and subject to the supervision and
instruction of an organization employing or contracting with a
mortgage loan originator, or an exempt person under W.S.
40-14-121;
(ix)
"Mortgage loan originator":
(A) Means an individual who for compensation or
gain or in the expectation of compensation or gain:
(I)
Takes a residential mortgage loan
application; or
(II) Offers or negotiates the terms of a
residential mortgage loan.
(B) Shall not include any individual engaged
solely as a loan processor or underwriter except as otherwise
described in W.S. 40-14-641(d);
(C) Shall not include a person who only performs
real estate brokerage activities and is licensed or registered
in accordance with Wyoming law, unless the person is compensated
by a lender, a mortgage broker or other mortgage loan originator
or by any agent of such lender, mortgage broker or other
mortgage loan originator; and
(D) Shall not include a person solely involved
in extensions of credit relating to timeshare plans.
(x) "Nontraditional mortgage product" means any
mortgage product other than a thirty (30) year fixed rate
mortgage;
(xi) "Real estate brokerage activity" means any
activity that involves offering or providing real estate
brokerage services to the public, including:
(A) Acting as a real estate agent or real estate
broker for a buyer, seller, lessor or lessee of real property;
(B) Arranging meetings or communicating with any
party interested in the sale, purchase, lease, rental or
exchange of real property;
(C) Negotiating, on behalf of any party, any
portion of a contract relating to the sale, purchase, lease,
rental or exchange of real property, unless the negotiating
relates to the financing of these transactions, which shall then
constitute engaging in the business as a mortgage loan
originator;
(D) Engaging in any activity for which a person
engaged in the activity is required to be registered or licensed
as a real estate agent or real estate broker under any
applicable law; and
(E) Offering to engage in any activity, or act
in any capacity, described in subparagraph (A), (B), (C) or (D)
of this paragraph.
(xii)
individual who:
"Registered mortgage loan originator" means any
(A) Is registered with, and maintains a unique
identifier through, the registry; and
(B) Meets the definition of mortgage loan
originator and is an employee of:
(I)
credit administration;
An institution regulated by the farm
(II)
(III)
A depository institution; or
A subsidiary that is:
(1)
Owned and controlled by a depository institution; and
(2)
Regulated by a federal banking agency.
(xiii)
Repealed By Laws 2013, Ch. 27, § 2.
(xiv) "Residential mortgage loan" means a consumer
loan as defined in W.S. 40-14-304 or a consumer credit sale as
defined in W.S. 40-14-204, made primarily for personal, family
or household use that is secured by a mortgage, deed of trust or
other equivalent consensual security interest on a dwelling or
residential real estate upon which is constructed or intended to
be constructed a dwelling;
(xv)
"Timeshare plan" means as defined in 11 U.S.C. §
101(53D);
(xvi) "Unique identifier" means a number or other
identifier assigned by protocols established by the registry.
40-14-641.
rulemaking.
Loan originator licensing; registration;
(a) An individual, unless specifically exempted under
subsection (c) of this section, shall not engage in the business
of a mortgage loan originator for any dwelling located in
Wyoming without first obtaining and maintaining annually a
license in accordance with part 4 of this article. Each
licensed mortgage loan originator shall register with and
maintain a valid unique identifier issued by the registry.
(b) In order to facilitate an orderly transition to
licensing and minimize disruption in the marketplace, the
effective date for subsection (a) of this section shall be July
1, 2010.
(c) An individual is exempt from subsection (a) of this
section if he is:
(i) A registered mortgage loan originator, when
acting for an entity described in W.S. 40-14-640(a)(xii)(B)(I),
(II) or (III);
(ii) Any individual who offers or negotiates terms of
a residential mortgage loan with or on behalf of an immediate
family member of the individual;
(iii) Any individual who offers or negotiates terms
of a residential mortgage loan secured by a dwelling that serves
as the individual's residence;
(iv) A licensed attorney who negotiates the terms of
a residential mortgage loan on behalf of a client as an
ancillary matter to the attorney's representation of the client,
unless the attorney is compensated by a lender, a mortgage
broker or other mortgage loan originator or by any agent of such
lender, mortgage broker or other mortgage loan originator;
(v) An individual engaging solely in loan processor
or underwriter activities, who does not represent to the public,
through advertising or other means of communicating or providing
information including the use of business cards, stationery,
brochures, signs, rate lists or other promotional items, that
such individual can or will perform any of the activities of a
mortgage loan originator.
(d) A loan processor or underwriter who is an independent
contractor shall not engage in the activities of a loan
processor or underwriter unless the independent contractor loan
processor or underwriter obtains and maintains a license
pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. Each independent
contractor loan processor or underwriter licensed as a mortgage
loan originator shall have and maintain a valid unique
identifier issued by the registry.
(e)
efficient
licensing
licensing
For the purpose of implementing an orderly and
licensing process the administrator may establish
rules or regulations and interim procedures for
and acceptance of applications.
40-14-642.
Loan originator application; processing.
(a) Applicants for a mortgage loan originator license
shall apply in a form prescribed by the administrator. Each
application form shall contain content as established by the
administrator and may be changed or updated as necessary by the
administrator in order to carry out the purposes of part 4 of
this article.
(b) In order to fulfill the purposes of this act, the
administrator may establish relationships or contract with the
registry or any other entity designated by the registry to
collect and maintain records and process transaction fees or
other fees related to licensees or other persons subject to this
act.
(c) In connection with an application for licensing as a
mortgage loan originator, the applicant shall, at a minimum,
furnish to the registry information concerning the applicant's
identity, including:
(i) Fingerprints for submission to the federal bureau
of investigation, and any governmental agency or entity
authorized to receive such information for a state, national and
international criminal history background check; and
(ii) Personal history and experience, including the
submission of authorization for the registry and the
administrator to obtain:
(A) An independent credit report obtained from a
consumer reporting agency described in section 603(p) of the
Fair Credit Reporting Act; and
(B) Information related to any administrative,
civil or criminal findings by any governmental jurisdiction.
(d) For the purposes of this section and in order to
reduce the points of contact which the federal bureau of
investigation may have to maintain for purposes of paragraph
(c)(i) of this section and subparagraph (c)(ii)(B) of this
section, the administrator may use the registry as a channeling
agent for requesting information from and distributing
information to the department of justice or any governmental
agency.
(e) For the purposes of this section and in order to
reduce the points of contact which the administrator may have to
maintain for purposes of subparagraphs (c)(ii)(A) and (B) of
this section, the administrator may use the registry as a
channeling agent for requesting and distributing information to
and from any source as directed by the administrator.
(f) Each application submitted under subsection (a) of
this section shall be accompanied by an application fee not to
exceed three hundred dollars ($300.00), as established by rule
of the administrator. When an application for licensure is
denied or withdrawn, the administrator shall retain all fees
paid by the applicant.
40-14-643.
Issuance of loan originator licenses.
(a) The administrator shall not issue a mortgage loan
originator license unless the administrator makes at a minimum
the following findings:
(i) The applicant has not had a mortgage loan
originator license revoked in any governmental jurisdiction,
except that a subsequent formal vacation of such revocation
shall not be deemed a revocation;
(ii) The applicant has not been convicted of, or pled
guilty or nolo contendere to, a felony in a domestic, foreign or
military court:
(A) During the seven (7) year period preceding
the date of the application for licensing and registration; or
(B) At any time preceding the date of
application, if the felony involved an act of fraud, dishonesty,
or a breach of trust or money laundering. Any pardon of a
conviction shall not be a conviction for the purposes of this
paragraph.
(iii) The applicant has demonstrated financial
responsibility, character and general fitness such as to command
the confidence of the community and to warrant a determination
that the mortgage loan originator will operate honestly, fairly
and efficiently within the purposes of this act;
(iv) The applicant has completed the prelicensing
education requirement pursuant to W.S. 40-14-644;
(v) The applicant has passed a written test that
meets the test requirement described in W.S. 40-14-645.
(b) For purposes of paragraph (a)(iii) of this section, a
person has shown that he is not financially responsible when he
has shown a disregard in the management of his own financial
condition. A determination that an individual has not shown
financial responsibility shall include, but not be limited to:
(i) Having any outstanding judgment, except a
judgment solely as a result of medical expenses;
(ii) Having any outstanding tax lien or other
government lien;
(iii)
(3) years;
Having any foreclosure within the past three
(iv) Having a pattern of seriously delinquent
accounts within the past three (3) years.
(c) Upon written request, an applicant is entitled to a
hearing on the question of his qualifications for a license if:
(i) The administrator has notified the applicant in
writing that his application has been denied, or objections to
the application have been filed with the administrator;
(ii) The administrator has not issued a license
within sixty (60) days after a complete application for the
license was filed.
(d) If a hearing is held, the applicant and those filing
objections shall reimburse, pro rata, the administrator for his
reasonable and necessary expenses incurred as a result of the
hearing. Notwithstanding any provision under the Wyoming
Administrative Procedure Act, a request for hearing shall not be
made more than fifteen (15) days after the applicant has
received notification by certified mail that the application has
been denied and stating in substance the administrator's finding
supporting denial of the application or that objections have
been filed and the substance thereof.
40-14-644.
originators.
Prelicensing and relicensing education of loan
(a) In order to meet the prelicensing education
requirement referred to in W.S. 40-14-643(a)(iv), a person shall
complete at least twenty (20) hours of education approved in
accordance with subsection (b) of this section, which shall
include at least:
(i) Three (3) hours of federal law and regulations
related to mortgage origination;
(ii) Three (3) hours of ethics, which shall include
instruction on fraud, consumer protection and fair lending
issues; and
(iii) Two (2) hours of training related to lending
standards for the nontraditional mortgage product marketplace.
(b) For purposes of subsection (a) of this section,
prelicensing education courses shall be reviewed and approved by
the registry. The review and approval of a prelicensing
education course shall include review and approval of the course
provider.
(c) Nothing in this section shall preclude any
prelicensing education course, as approved by the registry, that
is provided by the employer of the applicant or an entity which
is affiliated with the applicant by an agency contract, or any
subsidiary or affiliate of such employer or entity.
(d) Prelicensing education may be offered either in a
classroom, online or by any other means approved by the
registry.
(e) The prelicensing education requirements
the registry in paragraphs (a)(i), (ii) and (iii)
section for any state shall be accepted as credit
completion of prelicensing education requirements
approved by
of this
towards
in Wyoming.
(f) An individual licensed under W.S. 40-14-641 after July
1, 2009 and who subsequently applies to be licensed again:
(i)
requirements;
Shall not have to complete prelicensing education
(ii) Shall have completed all the continuing
education requirements pursuant to W.S. 40-14-647.
40-14-645.
Testing of mortgage loan originators.
(a) In order to meet the written test requirement under
W.S. 40-14-643(a)(v), an individual shall pass, in accordance
with the standards established under this section, a qualified
written test developed by the registry and administered by a
test provider approved by the registry.
(b) A written test shall not be treated as a qualified
written test for purposes of subsection (a) of this section
unless the test adequately measures the applicant's knowledge
and comprehension in appropriate subject areas, including:
(i)
Ethics;
(ii) Federal law and regulation pertaining to
mortgage origination;
(iii) Wyoming law and regulation pertaining to
mortgage origination; and
(iv) Federal and Wyoming law and regulation,
including instruction on fraud, consumer protection, the
nontraditional mortgage marketplace and fair lending issues.
(c) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a test provider
from providing a test at the location of the employer of the
applicant, the location of any subsidiary or affiliate of the
employer of the applicant or the location of any entity with
which the applicant holds an exclusive arrangement to conduct
the business of a mortgage loan originator.
(d) An individual shall not be considered to have passed a
qualified written test unless the individual achieves a test
score of not less than seventy-five percent (75%) correct
answers to test questions.
(e) An individual may retake a test three (3) times with
each test taking occurring at least thirty (30) days after the
preceding test.
(f) After failing three (3) tests, an individual shall
wait at least six (6) months before taking the test again.
(g) A licensed mortgage loan originator who fails to
maintain a valid license for at least five (5) years shall
retake the written test. Any time the individual spends working
as a registered mortgage loan originator shall not be counted
against this five (5) year period.
40-14-646.
rulemaking.
Standards for loan originator license renewal;
(a) The minimum standards for license renewal for mortgage
loan originators shall include the following:
(i) The mortgage loan originator continues to meet
the minimum standards for license issuance under W.S.
40-14-643(a)(i) through (v);
(ii) The mortgage loan originator has satisfied the
annual continuing education requirements described in W.S.
40-14-647;
(iii) The mortgage loan originator has paid the
license renewal fee not to exceed three hundred dollars
($300.00), as established by rule of the administrator.
(b) Each mortgage loan originator license shall expire on
December 31. The license shall be renewed annually by satisfying
the minimum standards for license renewal not less than thirty
(30) days before the stated expiration date. The administrator
may establish rules for the reinstatement of expired licenses
consistent with the standards established by the registry.
40-14-647. Continuing education for mortgage loan
originators; rulemaking.
(a) In order to meet the annual continuing education
requirements required by W.S. 40-14-646(a)(ii), a licensed
mortgage loan originator shall complete at least eight (8) hours
of education approved in accordance with subsection (b) of this
section, which shall include at least:
(i) Three (3) hours of federal law and regulations
relating to mortgage origination;
(ii) Two (2) hours of ethics, which shall include
instruction on fraud, consumer protection and fair lending
issues; and
(iii) Two (2) hours of training related to lending
standards for the nontraditional mortgage product marketplace.
(b) For purposes of subsection (a) of this section,
continuing education courses shall be reviewed and approved by
the registry. The review and approval of a continuing education
course shall include review and approval of the course provider.
(c) Nothing in this section shall preclude any education
course, as approved by the registry, that is provided by the
employer of the mortgage loan originator or an entity which is
affiliated with the mortgage loan originator by an agency
contract, or any subsidiary or affiliate of such employer or
entity.
(d) Continuing education may be offered either in a
classroom, online or by any other means approved by the
registry.
(e)
A licensed mortgage loan originator:
(i) Except as provided in W.S. 40-14-646(b), shall
only receive credit for a continuing education course in the
year in which the course is taken; and
(ii) Shall not take the same approved course in the
same year or successive years to meet the annual requirements
for continuing education.
(f) A licensed mortgage loan originator who is an
instructor of an approved continuing education course may
receive credit for the licensed mortgage loan originator's own
annual continuing education requirement at the rate of two (2)
hours credit for every one (1) hour taught.
(g) An individual having successfully completed the
education requirements approved by the registry in paragraphs
(a)(i), (ii) and (iii) of this section for any state shall be
accepted as credit towards completion of continuing education
requirements in Wyoming.
(h) An individual meeting the requirements of W.S.
40-14-646(a)(i) and (iii) may make up any deficiency in
continuing education as established by rule of the
administrator.
(j) An individual licensed under W.S. 40-14-641 after July
1, 2009 and who subsequently applies to be licensed again shall
complete the continuing education requirements for the last year
in which the license was held prior to issuance of a new or
renewed license.
40-14-648.
Authority to require license.
(a) In addition to any other duties imposed upon the
administrator by law, the administrator shall require mortgage
loan originators to be licensed and registered through the
registry. In order to carry out this requirement the
administrator may participate in the registry. For this
purpose, the administrator may establish by rule any
requirements as necessary, including but not limited to:
(i)
Background checks for:
(A)
other databases;
Criminal history through fingerprint or
(B)
Civil or administrative records;
(C)
Credit history; or
(D)
Any other information as deemed necessary by
the registry.
(ii) The payment of fees to apply for or renew
licenses through the registry; and
(iii) Requirements for amending or surrendering a
license or any other such activities as the administrator deems
necessary for participation in the registry.
40-14-649.
Unique identifier; rulemaking.
The unique identifier of any person originating a residential
mortgage loan shall be clearly shown on all residential mortgage
loan applications forms, solicitations or advertisements,
including business cards or websites, and any other documents as
established by rule of the administrator.
ARTICLE 7
EFFECTIVE DATE; PREVIOUS TRANSACTIONS
40-14-701.
transition.
Time of taking effect; provisions for
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, this act
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on July 1, 1971.
(b) To the extent appropriate to permit the administrator
to prepare for operation of this act when it takes effect and to
act on applications for licenses to make supervised loans under
this act (W.S. 40-14-343(a) [repealed]), the part on supervised
loans (part 5) of the article on loans (article 3) and the
article on administration (article 6) take effect as provided by
law.
(c) Transactions entered into before this act takes effect
and the rights, duties, and interests flowing from them
thereafter may be terminated, completed, consummated, or
enforced as required or permitted by any statute, rule of law,
or other law amended, repealed, or modified by this act as
though the repeal, amendment, or modification had not occurred,
but this act applies to:
(i) Refinancings, consolidations, and deferrals made
after this act takes effect of sales, leases, and loans whenever
made;
(ii) Sales or loans made after this act takes effect
pursuant to revolving charge accounts (W.S. 40-14-208) and
revolving loan accounts (W.S. 40-14-308) entered into, arranged
or contracted for before this act takes effect; and
(iii) All credit transactions made before this act
takes effect insofar as the article on remedies and penalties
(article 5) limits the remedies of creditors.
(d) With respect to revolving charge accounts (W.S.
40-14-208) and revolving loan accounts (W.S. 40-14-308) entered
into, arranged, or contracted for before this act takes effect,
disclosure pursuant to the laws relating to disclosure shall be
made not later than thirty (30) days after this act takes
effect.
40-14-702.
Continuation of licensing.
All persons licensed or otherwise authorized under the
provisions of W.S. 40-14-101 through 40-14-702 are licensed to
make supervised loans under this act pursuant to the part on
supervised loans (part 5) of the article on loans (article 3),
and all provisions of that part apply to the persons so
previously licensed or authorized. The administrator may, but is
not required to, deliver evidence of licensing to the persons so
previously licensed or authorized.
CHAPTER 15
MOTOR VEHICLE FRANCHISE ACT
40-15-101.
Repealed by Laws 1988, ch. 98, § 2.
40-15-102.
Repealed by Laws 1988, ch. 98, § 2.
40-15-103.
Repealed by Laws 1988, ch. 98, § 2.
40-15-104.
Repealed by Laws 1988, ch. 98, § 2.
40-15-105.
Repealed by Laws 1988, ch. 98, § 2.
40-15-106.
Repealed by Laws 1988, ch. 98, § 2.
40-15-107.
Repealed by Laws 1988, ch. 98, § 2.
40-15-108.
Repealed by Laws 1988, ch. 98, § 2.
40-15-109.
Repealed by Laws 1988, ch. 98, § 2.
CHAPTER 16
TRADING STAMPS
40-16-101.
Prohibited.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, association or
corporation to use, issue, or distribute, or for any person,
firm, association or corporation to furnish to any other person,
firm, association or corporation to use, issue or distribute,
in, with, or for the sale of goods, wares, merchandise or
service, any stamps, coupons, tickets, certificates, cards, or
other similar devices, which shall entitle the purchaser
receiving the same with the sale of goods, wares, merchandise or
service to procure from any person, firm, association or
corporation, any goods, wares, merchandise or service upon the
production of any number of such stamps, coupons, tickets,
certificates, cards or other similar devices.
40-16-102.
Exceptions.
(a) W.S. 40-16-101 through 40-16-103 shall not apply to
the use, issuance, distribution, furnishing or redemption of any
coupon, ticket, certificate, card or other similar device which
is:
(i) Issued, distributed, furnished or redeemed by a
manufacturer or packer in connection with the sale of its
manufactured or packed products, when the coupon, ticket,
certificate, card or other similar device is redeemable without,
or accompanying, cash for any product of the manufacturer or
packer or for any products not manufactured or packed by the
manufacturer or packer if those products are offered by the
manufacturer or packer solely for promotional purposes;
(ii) Issued, distributed, furnished or redeemed by a
merchant when such coupon, ticket, certificate, card, or other
similar device is redeemable at face value, in cash or
merchandise from the general stock of said merchant at regular
retail prices at the option of the holder thereof.
(b) W.S. 40-16-101 through 40-16-103 shall not be
interpreted to prohibit promotional activities conducted by a
manufacturer in connection with the sale of the manufacturer's
service or product which offers consumers the opportunity to
submit to the manufacturer or its agents, stated proof of
purchases of the manufacturer's service, product or cash in
exchange for one (1) or more services or products not
manufactured by the manufacturer.
40-16-103. Penalty for violation; continuing offense;
liability of officers and agents; enjoining or ousting
violators.
Any person, firm, association or corporation violating any
provision of this act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon
conviction, shall be punished by a fine not to exceed one
hundred dollars ($100.00), or by imprisonment not to exceed
sixty (60) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Each
day said person, firm, association or corporation is in
violation of this act shall constitute a separate and distinct
offense. Whenever a firm, association or corporation shall
violate any provision of this act, such violation shall be
deemed to be also that of the individual directors, officers, or
agents of such firm, association or corporation who shall have
authorized, ordered, or done any of the acts constituting in
whole or in part such violation. A firm, association or
corporation and its different officers, agents, and servants may
each be prosecuted separately for violation of any provision of
this act, and the acquittal or conviction of one such officer,
agent or servant shall not abate the prosecution of the others.
Violators of any provision of this act may also be enjoined or
ousted from the continuing of such violation by proceedings
brought by the district attorney of the proper district, or by
the attorney general, regardless of whether criminal proceedings
have been instituted.
CHAPTER 17
MOTOR VEHICLES
40-17-101. Definitions; express warranties; duty to make
warranty repairs.
(a)
As used in this section:
(i)
"Consumer" means any person:
(A) Who purchases a motor vehicle, other than
for the purpose of resale, to which an express warranty applies;
or
(B) To whom a motor vehicle is transferred
during the term of an express warranty applicable to the motor
vehicle; or
(C) Entitled by the terms of an express warranty
applicable to a motor vehicle to enforce it.
(ii) "Motor vehicle" means every vehicle under ten
thousand (10,000) pounds unladen weight, sold or registered in
the state, which is self-propelled except vehicles moved solely
by human power;
(iii) "Reasonable allowance for consumer's use" means
an amount directly attributable to use of the motor vehicle
prior to the first report of the nonconformity to the
manufacturer, agent or dealer and during any subsequent period
when the motor vehicle is not out of service due to repair;
(iv) "Manufacturers' express warranty or warranty"
means the written warranty, so labeled, of the manufacturer of a
new motor vehicle, including any terms or conditions precedent
to the enforcement of obligations under warranty.
(b) If a new motor vehicle does not conform to all
applicable express warranties and the consumer reports the
nonconformity to the manufacturer, its agent or its authorized
dealer within one (1) year following the original delivery of
the motor vehicle to the consumer, the manufacturer, its agent
or authorized dealer shall make repairs necessary to conform the
vehicle to the express warranties. The necessary repairs shall
be made even if the one (1) year period has expired.
(c) If the manufacturer, its agents or authorized dealers
are unable to conform the motor vehicle to any applicable
express warranty by repairing or correcting any defect or
condition which substantially impairs the use and fair market
value of the motor vehicle to the consumer after a reasonable
number of attempts, the manufacturer shall:
(i) Replace the motor vehicle with a new or
comparable motor vehicle of the same type and similarly
equipped; or
(ii) Accept return of the motor vehicle and refund to
the consumer and any lienholder as their interest may appear the
full purchase price including all collateral charges less a
reasonable allowance for consumer's use.
(d) It is presumed that a reasonable number of attempts
have been undertaken to conform a motor vehicle to express
warranty if within one (1) year following the original delivery
of the motor vehicle to the consumer, whichever is later:
(i) The same nonconformity has been subject to repair
more than three (3) times by the manufacturer, its agents or its
authorized dealers and the same nonconformity continues to
exist; or
(ii) The vehicle is out of service due to repair for
a cumulative total of thirty (30) business days.
(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit
the rights or remedies of a consumer under any other statute.
(f) Subsection (c) of this section does not apply to any
consumer who has failed to exhaust his remedies under a
manufacturer's informal dispute settlement procedure if a
procedure exists and is in compliance with applicable federal
statute and regulation.
(g) It is an affirmative defense to any claim under this
section that:
(i) An alleged nonconformity does not substantially
impair the use and fair market value of the motor vehicle; or
(ii) A nonconformity is the result of abuse, neglect
or unauthorized modification or alteration of a motor vehicle by
a consumer.
(h) In no event shall the presumption herein provided in
subsection (d) of this section apply against a manufacturer
unless the manufacturer has received prior direct written
notification from or on behalf of the consumer and has had a
reasonable opportunity to cure the alleged defect.
(j) Any period of time
section shall be extended by
vehicle could not reasonably
act of terror, civil unrest,
disaster.
provided in subsection (d) of this
any period of time during which the
be repaired due to war, invasion,
strike, fire, flood or natural
(k) Any consumer injured by a violation of this section
may bring a civil action to enforce this section and may recover
reasonable attorney's fees from the manufacturer who issued the
express warranty.
40-17-102.
Motor carrier indemnity agreements void.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any
provision, clause, covenant or agreement contained in a motor
carrier transportation contract or a related access agreement
under which the motor carrier transporter enters on property for
the purpose of loading, unloading or transporting property, to
the extent that the contract purports to indemnify, defend or
hold harmless or has the effect of indemnifying, defending or
holding harmless the indemnitee from or against any liability
for loss or damage resulting from its own negligence or
intentional acts or omissions is against the public policy of
this state and is void and unenforceable. For purposes of this
section, "motor carrier transportation contract" means a
contract, agreement or understanding regarding:
(i)
The transportation of property for compensation
or hire;
(ii) Entrance on property for the purpose of loading,
unloading or transporting property for compensation or hire; or
(iii) A service incidental to activity described in
paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this subsection.
(b) Subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to a
contract, subcontract or agreement that concerns or affects
transportation involving a railroad. As used in this section,
"motor carrier transportation contract" shall not include the
uniform intermodal interchange and facilities access agreement
administered by the intermodal association of North America, or
other agreements providing for the interchange, use or
possession of intermodal chassis, containers or other intermodal
equipment.
CHAPTER 18
REPURCHASE OF FARM MACHINERY UPON TERMINATION OF CONTRACT
40-18-101.
Repealed By Laws 1998, ch. 27, § 2.
40-18-102.
Repealed By Laws 1998, ch. 27, § 2.
40-18-103.
Repealed By Laws 1998, ch. 27, § 2.
40-18-104.
Repealed By Laws 1998, ch. 27, § 2.
40-18-105.
Repealed By Laws 1998, ch. 27, § 2.
40-18-106.
Repealed By Laws 1998, ch. 27, § 2.
40-18-107.
Repealed By Laws 1998, ch. 27, § 2.
CHAPTER 19
CONSUMER RENTAL PURCHASE AGREEMENT ACT
40-19-101.
Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Wyoming
Consumer Rental-Purchase Agreement Act."
40-19-102.
(a)
Definitions.
As used in this act:
(i)
commissioner;
"Administrator" means the state banking
(ii) "Advertisement" means a commercial message in
any medium that solicits a consumer to enter a rental-purchase
agreement;
(iii) "Business day" means any day other than Sunday
or a legal holiday;
(iv) "Cash sale price" means the price stated in a
rental-purchase agreement for which the merchant would have sold
and the consumer would have bought the property which is the
subject matter of a rental-purchase agreement if the transaction
had been a sale for cash. The cash sale price may include any
applicable taxes to the extent imposed on the cash sale;
(v) "Consumer" means an individual who rents property
under a rental-purchase agreement to be used primarily for
personal, family or household purposes;
(vi) "Consummation" means the date on which a
consumer enters a rental-purchase agreement;
(vii) "Fee" means any payment, charge, fee, cost or
expense whether mandatory or optional that a consumer pays in
addition to periodic payments in connection with a
rental-purchase agreement;
(viii) "Merchant" means a person who regularly
provides the use of property under rental-purchase agreements
and to whom rental payments are initially payable on the face of
the rental-purchase agreement;
(ix) "Periodic payment" means the rent a consumer
pays weekly, monthly or otherwise for the use of property
pursuant to a rental-purchase agreement;
(x) "Property" means personal property of which a
consumer acquires use under a rental-purchase agreement;
(xi) "Rental-purchase agreement" means an agreement
between a consumer and merchant for the use of property by the
consumer primarily for personal, family or household purposes:
(A)
For an initial period of four (4) months or
less;
(B) That is automatically renewable with each
payment after the initial period;
(C) That does not obligate or require the
consumer to continue renting or using the property beyond the
initial period; and
(D) That permits the consumer to become the
owner of the property.
(xii)
40-19-120.
40-19-103.
"This act" means W.S. 40-19-101 through
Notices.
Notices required by this act shall be given personally or sent
by first class or registered mail to the known residential
address of the consumer. Notice, if last by mail, is given when
deposited in a mailbox properly addressed and postage prepaid.
40-19-104.
Application.
(a) This act applies to rental-purchase agreements and
acts, practices or conduct related to a rental-purchase
agreement entered into in this state.
(b) For the purposes of this act, the residence of the
consumer is the address given by the consumer as the consumer's
residence in writing signed by the consumer in connection with
the rental-purchase agreement. Unless the consumer notifies the
merchant of a new or different residence address, the given
residence is presumed to be unchanged.
40-19-105.
transactions.
Inapplicability of other laws; exempt
(a) Rental-purchase agreements as defined in this act are
not governed by laws relating to:
(i) Transactions governed under the Wyoming Uniform
Consumer Credit Code; or
(ii) "Security interests" as defined by W.S.
34.1-1-201(a)(xxxvii).
(b)
This act does not apply to the following:
(i) Rental-purchase agreements primarily for
business, commercial or agricultural purposes or those in which
either party is a governmental agency or instrumentality;
(ii) A lease or bailment of personal property which
is incidental to the lease of real property and which provides
that the consumer has no option to purchase the leased property.
40-19-106.
agreements.
General requirements of rental-purchase
(a) Each rental-purchase agreement shall be in writing,
dated, signed by the consumer and merchant and completed as to
all essential provisions as required by this act.
(b) The agreement shall be made clearly and conspicuously
with disclosures required by W.S. 40-19-107(a)(i), (v), (vi),
(vii) and (viii) grouped together, segregated from all other
provisions and not containing any information not directly
related to the disclosures. The agreement shall be designated
"rental-purchase agreement."
(c) The merchant shall deliver to the consumer a completed
copy of the agreement for the consumer to retain at consummation
of the transaction.
(d) The rental-purchase agreement shall contain the names
and addresses of the merchant and consumer.
(e) The merchant shall disclose to the consumer the
information required by W.S. 40-19-107 on the face of the
agreement above the line for the consumer's signature. If a
disclosure becomes inaccurate as a result of any act, occurrence
or agreement by the consumer after the delivery of the required
disclosures, the resulting inaccuracy shall not be considered to
be a violation of this act.
(f) A merchant who advertises rental-purchase agreements
in any language other than English shall have rental-purchase
agreements printed in each language as the merchant advertises
and shall make those rental-purchase agreements available to
consumers.
40-19-107.
Disclosures.
(a) For each rental-purchase agreement, the merchant shall
disclose in the agreement the following items as applicable:
(i) Whether the periodic payment is weekly, monthly
or otherwise, the dollar amount of each payment and the total
number and total dollar amount of all periodic payments
necessary to acquire ownership of the property;
(ii) A statement that the consumer will not own the
property until the consumer has paid the total amount necessary
to acquire ownership;
(iii) A statement advising the consumer whether the
consumer is liable for loss or damage to the property, and, if
so, a statement that the liability will not exceed the fair
market value of the property as of the time it is lost or
damaged;
(iv) A statement specifying any insurance required to
be purchased by the consumer to satisfy any liability of the
consumer to the merchant for loss or damage to the property;
(v) A brief description of the property, sufficient
to identify the property to the consumer and the merchant,
including an identification number, if applicable, and a
statement indicating whether the property is new or used;
(vi) A statement of the cash sale price of the
property. Where one (1) agreement involves a lease of two (2)
or more items as a set, a statement of the aggregate cash sale
price of all items shall satisfy this requirement;
(vii) The total amount initially payable or required
at or before consummation of the agreement or delivery of the
property, whichever is later;
(viii) A statement that the total amount of periodic
payments necessary to acquire ownership does not include other
fees. Any other fee shall be separately disclosed in the
agreement along with a statement of the purpose for the fee and
whether it is mandatory or optional;
(ix) A statement clearly summarizing the terms of the
consumer's option to purchase, including a statement that the
consumer has the right to exercise an early purchase option, and
the price, formula or method for determining the price at which
the property may be purchased;
(x) A statement identifying the merchant as the party
responsible for maintaining or servicing the property while it
is being rented, together with a description of that
responsibility, and a statement that if any part of a
manufacturer's express warranty covers the property at the time
the consumer acquires ownership, the warranty shall be
transferred to the consumer if allowed by its terms;
(xi) A statement that the consumer may terminate the
agreement without penalty by voluntarily surrendering or
returning the property in good repair, reasonable wear and tear
excepted, along with any past due rental payments upon
expiration of any rental period;
(xii) Notice of the right to reinstate an agreement
as provided in this act;
(xiii) The following notice printed or typed in a
size equal to or greater than ten (10) point bold type:
NOTICE TO CONSUMER
Do not sign this agreement before you read it or if it contains
blank spaces. You are entitled to a copy of the agreement you
sign.
(xiv) If the property is used, a description of any
damage to the property beyond ordinary wear and tear that would
reasonably be expected on property of similar age and condition;
and
(xv) A description of the conditions which constitute
default by the consumer.
40-19-108.
(a)
Prohibited provisions.
A rental-purchase agreement shall not contain a:
(i)
(ii)
Confession of judgment;
Negotiable instrument;
(iii) Security interest or any other claim of a
property interest in any property of the consumer;
(iv)
(v)
Wage assignment;
Waiver by the consumer of claims or defenses;
(vi) Provision authorizing the merchant or a person
acting on the merchant's behalf to enter upon the consumer's
premises unlawfully or to commit any breach of the peace in the
repossession of property;
(vii) Provision requiring the consumer to purchase
insurance or a liability damage waiver from the merchant for the
property. The merchant may require the consumer to insure the
property so as to satisfy any liability of the consumer to the
merchant for loss or damage to the property;
(viii) Provision that mere failure to return property
constitutes probable cause for a criminal action;
(ix) Provision requiring the consumer to make a final
periodic payment in an amount greater than regular periodic
payments in order to acquire ownership of the property or a
provision requiring the consumer to make periodic payments
totaling more than the dollar amount necessary to acquire
ownership as disclosed pursuant to W.S. 40-19-107;
(x) Provision requiring a reinstatement fee unless a
periodic payment is late more than five (5) days on a monthly
agreement or more than two (2) days on an agreement with
periodic payments made more frequently than monthly;
(xi) Provision for a reinstatement fee or pickup and
redelivery fee in excess of the maximum amount set by rule of
the administrator for property subject to rental-purchase
agreements; or
(xii) Provision for a late charge or any other type
of charge or penalty for reinstating a rental-purchase agreement
other than a reinstatement fee. However, a merchant may use the
term "late charge" or a similar term to refer to a reinstatement
fee.
40-19-109.
Default; notice of default and right to cure.
(a) In any rental-purchase agreement, after a consumer is
in default for three (3) business days or more and does not
voluntarily surrender possession of the rented property, a
merchant may give the consumer the notice provided in this
section. Notice may be given to the consumer under this section
by the merchant personally delivering the notice to the consumer
or by mailing the notice to the consumer's last known
residential address.
(b) The notice shall be in writing and conspicuously state
the name, address and telephone number of the merchant to whom
payment is made, a brief identification of the transaction, the
consumer's right to cure any default, the amount of payment and
the date the payment shall be made to cure the default. The
notice shall be in substantially the form required by rule of
the administrator.
(c) With respect to rental-purchase agreements with
payments or options to renew more frequently than monthly, after
default consisting of failure to renew or return the property, a
merchant may not initiate court action to recover rented
property until three (3) business days after notice of the
consumer's right to cure is given. With respect to all other
rental-purchase agreements, after default consisting of failure
to renew or return the property, a merchant may not initiate
court action to recover rented property until five (5) business
days after notice of the consumer's right to cure is given.
(d) After notice is given and until expiration of the
minimum applicable period, a consumer may cure all defaults
consisting of failure to renew and failure to return the
property by tendering the amount of all unpaid sums due and
payment of a renewal payment.
(e) This section shall not prohibit a consumer from
voluntarily surrendering possession of property that is rented
or a merchant from requesting and accepting surrender of
property at any time after default. In any enforcement
proceeding, a merchant shall affirmatively plead and prove
either that the notice to cure is not required or that the
merchant has given the required notice. The failure to plead
shall not invalidate any action taken by the merchant that is
otherwise lawful and if the merchant had rightfully repossessed
the property the repossession shall not constitute conversion.
40-19-110.
Reinstatement.
(a) Any consumer whose default consists solely of a
failure to make a timely rental payment may reinstate the
agreement, without losing any rights or options which exist
under the agreement, by paying the following charges within
seven (7) days of the renewal date of the agreement:
(i)
All past due rental charges;
(ii) If the property has been picked-up, the
reasonable costs of pickup and redelivery as limited by W.S.
40-19-108(a)(xi); and
(iii) Any applicable reinstatement fee as limited by
W.S. 40-19-108(a)(x) and (xi).
(b) In the case of a consumer who has paid less than
two-thirds (2/3) of the total of payments necessary to acquire
ownership and where the consumer has returned or voluntarily
surrendered the property within seven (7) days of the renewal
date, other than through judicial process, the consumer may
reinstate the agreement during a period of not less than
twenty-one (21) days after the date of the return of the
property.
(c) In the case of a consumer who has paid two-thirds
(2/3) or more of the total of payments necessary to acquire
ownership, and where the consumer has returned or voluntarily
surrendered the property within seven (7) days of the renewal
date, other than through judicial process, the consumer may
reinstate the agreement during a period of not less than thirty
(30) days after the date of the return of the property.
(d) Nothing in this section shall prevent a merchant from
attempting to repossess the property. Repossession within seven
(7) days of the renewal date shall not affect the consumer's
right to reinstate. Upon reinstatement, the merchant shall
provide the consumer with the same property, if available, or
with substitute property of comparable quality and condition.
40-19-111.
Liability damage waivers; fees.
(a) A consumer and merchant may contract for a liability
damage waiver. The selling or offering for sale of a liability
damage waiver pursuant to this act shall be subject to the
following prohibitions and requirements:
(i) A merchant may not sell or offer to sell a
liability damage waiver unless all restrictions, conditions and
exclusions are printed in an agreement separate from the
rental-purchase agreement;
(ii) The liability damage waiver contract shall
include a statement of the fee for the liability damage waiver
and shall display the following notice printed or typed in a
size equal to or greater than ten (10) point bold type:
NOTICE: THE PURCHASE OF THIS LIABILITY DAMAGE WAIVER IS NOT
MANDATORY AND MAY BE DECLINED. THIS CONTRACT OFFERS, FOR AN
ADDITIONAL CHARGE, A LIABILITY DAMAGE WAIVER TO COVER YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY FOR DAMAGE TO THE PROPERTY. BEFORE DECIDING
WHETHER TO PURCHASE THE LIABILITY DAMAGE WAIVER, YOU MAY WISH TO
DETERMINE WHETHER YOUR HOMEOWNER'S OR CASUALTY INSURANCE, IF
ANY, AFFORDS YOU COVERAGE FOR DAMAGE TO THE RENTAL PROPERTY AND
THE AMOUNT OF THE DEDUCTIBLE UNDER YOUR OWN INSURANCE COVERAGE.
40-19-112.
Renegotiations and extensions.
(a) A renegotiation occurs when any term of a
rental-purchase agreement that is required to be disclosed by
W.S. 40-19-107 is changed by agreement between the merchant and
consumer. A renegotiation is considered to be a new
rental-purchase agreement requiring the merchant to give all the
disclosures required by W.S. 40-19-107.
(b) The following acts shall not be considered to be a
renegotiation:
(i) Reinstatement of a rental-purchase agreement in
accordance with W.S. 40-19-110;
(ii) A merchant's waiver or failure to assert any
claim against the consumer;
(iii) A deferral, extension or waiver of a portion of
a periodic payment or of one (1) or more periodic payments; or
(iv) A change, made at the consumer's request, of the
day of the week or month on which periodic payments are to be
made.
40-19-113.
Advertising.
(a) An advertisement for a rental-purchase agreement that
refers to or states the dollar amount of a periodic payment and
the right to acquire ownership of a specific item shall also
clearly and conspicuously state the following:
(i)
agreement;
The transaction advertised is a rental-purchase
(ii) The total number and total amount of periodic
payments necessary to acquire ownership of the item; and
(iii) That the consumer acquires no ownership rights
in the item unless the total amount necessary to acquire
ownership is paid.
(b) Any owner or personnel of any medium in which an
advertisement appears or through which it is disseminated shall
not be liable for the requirements in this section.
(c) The provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall
not apply to any advertisement which does not refer to or state
the amount of any payment.
(d) Every item displayed or offered under a
rental-purchase agreement shall bear a tag or card that clearly
and conspicuously indicates in Arabic numerals each of the
following:
(i)
The cash sale price of the item;
(ii)
The amount of the periodic payment; and
(iii) The total number and total amount of periodic
payments necessary to acquire ownership.
(e) An advertisement for a rental-purchase agreement in
any language other than English shall contain disclosures as
required by this section in that language.
40-19-114.
qualifications.
License required; application for license; fee;
(a) Any person acting as a merchant, as defined by W.S.
40-19-102(a)(viii), in this state shall be licensed to conduct
such business under this section.
(b) The administrator shall receive and act on all
applications for licenses required under this act. Applications
shall be filed in the manner prescribed by the administrator and
shall contain the information the administrator requires by rule
to make an investigation and evaluation of the financial
responsibility, experience and business qualification of the
applicant, and of the partners or members if the applicant is a
partnership or association, and of the principal officers and
directors if the applicant is a corporation, such as to warrant
belief that the business will be operated honestly and fairly
within the purposes of this act.
(c) The application for one (1) or more licenses shall be
accompanied by a processing fee not to exceed five hundred
dollars ($500.00) set by rule of the administrator. The fee
shall be deposited by the administrator with the state treasurer
and credited to the financial institutions administration
account. Funds from the account shall be expended to carry out
the duties of the administrator. If the expenses of the
investigation and evaluation exceed the amount of the fee, the
applicant shall reimburse the administrator the excess amount.
If the expenses of the investigation and evaluation are less
than the amount of the fee, the unexpended amount shall remain
within the account. If an application is withdrawn by the
applicant at any time prior to the completion of the
investigation and evaluation, the unexpended amount shall remain
within the account.
(d) Except as otherwise provided, fees collected by the
administrator under this act shall be deposited by the
administrator with the state treasurer and credited to the
financial institutions administration account. Expenditures
shall be made from the account by warrants drawn by the state
auditor, upon vouchers issued and signed by the administrator.
The funds deposited in the account under this act shall be
expended only to carry out the duties of the administrator.
(e) The applicant shall be notified when the application
is approved. Within twenty (20) days after notification, the
applicant shall pay an initial license fee not to exceed five
hundred dollars ($500.00), as set by rule of the administrator.
(f) Each office or place of business shall be licensed
separately.
(g) Each license shall state the address of the office
from which the business is to be conducted and the name of the
licensee. The license shall be prominently displayed at the
place of business named in the license. The license shall not
be transferable or assignable.
(h) If a licensee wishes to move his office to another
location, the licensee shall:
(i) Give written notice to the administrator at least
thirty (30) days prior to the move; and
(ii) Pay a license modification fee not to exceed one
hundred dollars ($100.00), as set by rule of the administrator.
(j) Each license issued under this section shall expire on
July 1. The license shall be renewed annually not less than
thirty (30) days before the expiration date. The renewal fee
for each license shall not exceed five hundred dollars
($500.00), as set by rule of the administrator.
40-19-115.
Revocation or suspension of license.
(a) The administrator may issue to a person licensed under
this act an order to show cause why his license should not be
revoked or suspended for a period not in excess of six (6)
months. The order shall state the place for a hearing and set a
time for the hearing that is no less than ten (10) days from the
date of the order. After the hearing the administrator shall
revoke or suspend the license if he finds that:
(i) The licensee has repeatedly and willfully
violated this act or any rule or order lawfully made pursuant to
this act; or
(ii) Facts or conditions exist which would clearly
have justified the administrator in refusing to grant a license
had these facts or conditions been known to exist at the time
the application for the license was made.
(b) No revocation or suspension of a license is lawful
unless prior to institution of proceedings by the administrator
notice is given to the licensee of the facts or conduct which
warrant the intended action and the licensee is given an
opportunity to show compliance with all lawful requirements for
retention of the license.
(c) If the administrator finds that probable cause for
revocation of a license exists and that enforcement of this act
requires immediate suspension of a license pending
investigation, he may, after a hearing upon five (5) days
written notice, enter an order suspending the license for not
more than thirty (30) days.
(d) Whenever the administrator revokes or suspends a
license, he shall enter an order to that effect and immediately
notify the licensee of the revocation or suspension. Within
five (5) days after the entry of the order he shall deliver to
the licensee a copy of the order and the findings supporting the
order.
(e) Any person holding a license under this act may
relinquish the license by notifying the administrator in writing
of its relinquishment, but this relinquishment shall not affect
his liability for acts previously committed.
(f) No revocation, suspension or relinquishment of a
license shall impair or affect the obligation of any preexisting
lawful contract between the licensee and any consumer.
(g) The administrator may reinstate a license, terminate a
suspension or grant a new license to a person whose license has
been revoked or suspended if no fact or condition then exists
which clearly would have justified the administrator in refusing
to grant a license.
40-19-116.
Record retention.
Every licensee shall maintain records in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles and practices in a
manner which will enable the administrator to determine whether
the licensee is complying with the provisions of this act. The
record keeping system of a licensee shall be sufficient if he
makes the required information reasonably available to the
administrator. The records pertaining to any rental-purchase
agreement need not be preserved for more than two (2) years
after making the final entry relating to the agreement.
40-19-117.
Examination and investigation.
(a) Upon complaint the administrator may examine and copy
the records of a licensee. The investigation may be made for
the purposes of discovering violations of this act or securing
information lawfully required. For these purposes he shall have
free and reasonable access during normal office hours to the
offices, places of business and records of the licensee. Each
licensee shall pay to the administrator an amount assessed by
the administrator to cover the direct and indirect cost of an
investigation under this subsection.
(b) For the purposes of this section, the administrator
may administer oaths or affirmations, and upon his own motion or
upon request of any party may subpoena witnesses, compel their
attendance, adduce evidence and require the production of any
matter which is relevant to the investigation, including the
existence, description, nature, custody, condition and location
of any books, documents or other tangible things and the
identity and location of person having knowledge of relevant
facts or any other matter reasonably calculated to lead to the
discovery of admissible evidence.
(c) Upon failure without lawful excuse to obey a subpoena
or to give testimony and upon reasonable notice to all persons
affected thereby, the administrator may apply to the district
court for an order compelling compliance.
40-19-118. Powers and functions of the administrator;
enforcement; penalties.
(a) Except as otherwise
Administrative Procedure Act,
shall apply to and govern all
the administrator pursuant to
provided, the Wyoming
W.S. 16-3-101 through 16-3-115,
administrative actions taken by
this act.
(b) The administrator may adopt rules and regulations to
implement and administer this act.
(c) After notice and hearing, the administrator may order
a merchant or a person acting on his behalf to cease and desist
from engaging in violations of this act. Any person aggrieved
by an order of the administrator may obtain judicial review of
the order and the administrator may obtain an order of the court
for enforcement of his order in the district court.
(d) The administrator may bring a civil action to restrain
a merchant from violating the provisions of this act and for
other appropriate relief.
(e) Any merchant refusing or obstructing access to the
administrator or his representative to any account, books,
records or papers, refusing to furnish any required information
or hindering a full examination or investigation of the
accounts, books, records or papers is guilty of a felony
punishable by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars
($1,000.00), imprisonment for a period of not less than one (1)
year, or both.
(f) Any merchant who wrongfully fails or refuses to comply
with an order of the administrator as may be provided under this
act is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more
than one hundred dollars ($100.00) per day for each day the
order is not obeyed.
40-19-119.
Consumer civil actions.
(a) A merchant who fails to comply with a requirement
imposed in W.S. 40-19-106 through 40-19-112 or 40-12-104 shall
be liable to the consumer damaged thereby in an amount equal to
the greater of:
(i) The actual damages sustained by the consumer as a
result of the violation, plus the costs of the action and
reasonable attorney's fees;
(ii) In the case of an individual action, twenty-five
percent (25%) of the total payments necessary to acquire
ownership but not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) nor
greater than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), plus the costs of
the action and reasonable attorney's fees; or
(iii) In the case of a class action, the amount the
court determines to be appropriate with no minimum recovery as
to each member, plus the costs of the action and reasonable
attorney's fees. The total recovery in any class action or
series of class actions arising out of the same violation shall
not be more than the lesser of five hundred thousand dollars
($500,000.00) plus the costs of the action and reasonable
attorney's fees or one percent (1%) of the net worth of the
merchant plus the costs of the action and reasonable attorney's
fees. In determining the amount of any award in a class action,
the court shall consider, among other relevant factors, the
amount of actual damages awarded, the frequency and persistence
of the violation, the merchant's resources and the extent to
which the merchant's violation was intentional.
(b) In the case of an advertisement, any merchant who
fails to comply with the requirements of W.S. 40-19-113 with
regard to any consumer shall be liable to that consumer for
actual damages suffered from the violation, the costs of the
action and reasonable attorney's fees.
(c) If there are multiple merchants, liability shall be
imposed only on the merchant who made the disclosures. If no
disclosures have been given, liability shall be imposed on all
merchants.
(d) If there are multiple consumers in a rental-purchase
agreement, there shall be only one (1) recovery of damages under
subsection (a) of this section.
(e) Multiple violations in connection with a
rental-purchase agreement shall entitle the consumer to a single
recovery under this section.
(f) An action under this section shall be brought in any
court of competent jurisdiction within the greater of the
following times:
(i) Within two (2) years after the date the consumer
made his last rental payment; or
(ii) Within two (2) years after the date of the
occurrence of the violation that is the subject of the suit.
40-19-120.
Merchant's defense.
(a) If a merchant establishes by a preponderance of the
evidence that a violation of this act was unintentional, no
penalty as specified in W.S. 40-19-118 shall be imposed and
validity of the transaction shall not be affected.
(b) A merchant shall not be liable under this act for any
failure to comply with any requirement imposed under this act if
within sixty (60) days after the merchant discovers an error,
and prior to the institution of an action under this act or the
receipt of written notice of the error from the consumer, the
merchant notifies the consumer of the error and within seven (7)
days, makes adjustments in the appropriate account necessary to
correct the error.
CHAPTER 20
WYOMING FAIR PRACTICES OF EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS, DISTRIBUTORS,
WHOLESALERS AND DEALERS ACT
40-20-101.
Short title.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Wyoming
Fair Practices of Equipment Manufacturers, Distributors,
Wholesalers and Dealers Act".
40-20-102.
Repealed By Laws 2006, Chapter 107, § 2.
40-20-103.
Repealed By Laws 2006, Chapter 107, § 2.
40-20-104.
Repealed By Laws 2006, Chapter 107, § 2.
40-20-105.
Surplus parts inventory; credits.
(a) Unless this section is specifically waived in writing
by the dealer, a supplier shall allow a dealer to periodically,
but no less than once every twelve (12) months, return a portion
of the dealer's surplus parts inventory for credit.
(b) The supplier shall notify the dealer of a time period
during which a dealer may submit the dealer's surplus parts list
and return inventory. A supplier may stagger return periods for
its dealers.
(c) If a supplier has not notified its dealer of a
specific time period for returning surplus parts within the
preceding twelve (12) month period, it shall allow the dealer to
return surplus parts within sixty (60) days of receiving the
dealer's request to make such return.
(d) A supplier shall allow surplus parts return on a
dollar value of parts equal to ten percent (10%) of the total
dollar value of all parts purchased by the dealer from the
supplier during either the twelve (12) month period immediately
preceding the supplier's notification to the dealer of the
supplier's return program or, if subsection (c) of this section
applies, the month the dealer makes a return request.
(e) The dealer may elect to return a dollar value of the
surplus parts equal to less than ten percent (10%) of the total
dollar value of the parts the dealer purchased during the
preceding twelve (12) months.
(f) A dealer may not return obsolete parts. However, a
dealer may return a part for credit if such part is found in the
supplier's current parts list or any superseded part that is not
the subject of the supplier's parts return program as of the
date of termination.
(g) A dealer shall return only new and unused parts to the
supplier of the parts.
(h) The minimum credit allowed for returned parts shall be
ninety-five percent (95%) of the net price as listed in the
supplier's current parts list as of the date that the supplier
provides notice of its return program or, if subsection (c) of
this section applies, the date that the dealer submits a request
for return.
(j) A supplier shall issue credit within ninety (90) days
after receiving a return part.
(k) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent
a supplier from charging back to the dealer's account amounts
previously paid or credited as a discounted incident to the
dealer's purchase of equipment.
40-20-106.
Repealed By Laws 2006, Chapter 107, § 2.
40-20-107.
Repealed By Laws 2006, Chapter 107, § 2.
40-20-108.
Repealed By Laws 2006, Chapter 107, § 2.
40-20-109.
Repealed By Laws 2006, Chapter 107, § 2.
40-20-110.
provisions.
Current agreements; effect of law; void
(a) Effective July 1, 2006, this chapter shall apply to
all dealer agreements now in effect which have no expiration
date and are a continuing contract and all other dealer
agreements entered into, renewed, extended, revised, modified or
changed in any manner on or after July 1, 2006.
(b) A provision in any contract or agreement with respect
to a supplier that requires jurisdiction or venue outside of
this state or requires the application of the laws of another
state or country is void with respect to a claim otherwise
enforceable under this chapter. Except as provided in W.S.
40-20-105(a), any attempt to waive a provision of this chapter
or application of this chapter shall be void. Any provision in
a dealer agreement that requires a dealer to pay attorney fees
incurred by a supplier shall be void.
40-20-111.
Repealed By Laws 2006, Chapter 107, § 2.
40-20-112.
Repealed By Laws 2006, Chapter 107, § 2.
40-20-113.
Definitions.
(a)
As used in this chapter:
(i)
"Current net parts price" means:
(A) For current parts, the price for repair
parts listed in the supplier's price list or catalogue in effect
at the time the dealer agreement is cancelled or discontinued,
or for purposes of W.S. 40-20-119, the price list or catalogue
in effect at the time the repair parts were ordered;
(B) For superseded repair parts, the price
listed in the supplier's price list or catalogue in effect at
the time the dealer agreement is cancelled or discontinued for
the part that performs the same function and purpose as the
superseded part, but is listed under a different part number.
(ii) "Current net parts cost" means the current net
parts price less any trade or cash discounts typically given to
the dealer with respect to the dealer's normal, ordinary course
orders of repair parts;
(iii) "Dealer" means any person, not including mass
retailers, engaged in the business of:
(A) Selling or leasing equipment or repair parts
to the consumer; and
(B)
Repairing or servicing equipment.
(iv) "Dealer agreement" means either an oral or
written agreement or an agreement between a dealer and a
supplier that provides for the rights and obligations of the
parties with respect to the purchase or sale of equipment or
repair parts. If a dealer has more than one (1) business
location covered by the same dealer agreement, the requirements
of this chapter shall be applied to the repurchase of a dealer's
inventory at a particular location upon the closing of that
location;
(v) "Dealership" means the retail sale business
engaged in by a dealer under a dealer agreement;
(vi) "Demonstrator" means equipment in a dealer's
inventory that has never been sold at retail, but has had its
usage demonstrated to potential customers, either without charge
or pursuant to a short term rental agreement, with the intent of
encouraging the person to purchase the equipment;
(vii)
"Equipment" means:
(A) Multipurpose vehicles as defined in W.S.
31-1-101(a)(xv)(M) regardless of how used;
(B)
31-2-401(a)(ii);
Snowmobiles as defined in W.S.
(C) Off-road recreational vehicles as defined in
W.S. 31-1-101(a)(xv)(K) regardless of how used; and
(D) Other machinery, equipment, implements or
attachments used for or in connection with one (1) or more of
the following purposes:
(I)
or grounds maintenance;
Lawn, garden, golf course, landscaping
(II) Planting, cultivating, irrigating,
grazing, harvesting and producing of agricultural products;
(III) Raising, feeding, tending to or
harvesting products from, livestock or any related activity;
(IV) Industrial, construction, maintenance,
or utility activities or applications;
(V) "Equipment" does not include selfpropelled vehicles designed primarily for the transportation of
persons or property on a street or highway.
(viii) "Family member" means a spouse, child, parent,
sibling, stepchild, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or lineal
descendant;
(ix) "Good cause" has the meaning set forth in W.S.
40-20-115 or 40-20-116, as applicable;
(x) "Index" means the United States bureau of labor
statistics producer price index or industry data, for
construction machinery, series identification number
pcu333120333120 or any successor index measuring substantially
similar information;
(xi) "Inventory" means new equipment, repair parts,
data processing hardware or software, and specialized service or
repair tools;
(xii) "Net equipment cost" means the price the dealer
actually paid to the supplier for equipment, plus:
(A) Freight, at truckload rates in effect as of
the effective date of the termination of a dealer agreement, if
freight was paid by the dealer from the supplier's location to
the dealer's location; and
(B) Reimbursement for labor incurred in
preparing the equipment for retail sale or rental, or set up
costs, which labor shall be reimbursed at the dealer's standard
labor rate charged by the dealer to its customers for
nonwarranty repair work. If a supplier has established a
reasonable set up time, the labor shall be reimbursed at an
amount equal to the reasonable set up time in effect as of the
date of delivery multiplied by the dealer's standard labor rate.
(xiii) "New equipment" means, for purposes of
determining whether a dealer is a single line dealer, any
equipment that could be returned to the supplier upon a
termination of a dealer agreement pursuant to W.S. 40-20-120 and
40-20-121;
(xiv) "Person" means a natural person, corporation,
partnership, limited liability company, company, trust, or any
other form of business enterprise, including any other entity in
which the "person" has a majority interest or of which the
"person" has control, as well as the individual officers,
directors and other persons in active control of the activities
of each entity;
(xv) "Repair parts" means all parts related to the
repair of equipment, including superseded parts;
(xvi)
"Single line dealer" means a dealer that has:
(A) Purchased construction or industrial
equipment from a single supplier constituting seventy-five
percent (75%) of the dealer's new equipment, calculated on the
basis of net cost; and
(B) A total annual average sales volume in
excess of twenty million dollars ($20,000,000.00) for the three
(3) calendar years immediately preceding the applicable
determination date. The twenty million dollar ($20,000,000.00)
threshold shall be increased each year by an amount equal to the
then current threshold multiplied by the percentage increase in
the index from January of the immediately preceding year to
January of the current year.
(xvii) "Single line supplier" means the supplier that
is selling the single line dealer construction and industrial
equipment constituting seventy-five percent (75%) of the
dealer's new equipment;
(xviii) "Supplier" means any person engaged in the
business of manufacturing, assembly or wholesale distribution of
equipment or repair parts. The term "supplier" and the
provisions of this chapter shall be interpreted liberally and
shall not be limited to traditional doctrines of corporate
successor liability or take into account whether:
(A) A successor expressly assumed the
liabilities of the supplier; or
(B) There has been one (1) or more intermediate
successors to the initial supplier. The obligations of a
supplier hereunder shall consequently apply to any actual or
effective successor in interest to a supplier, including but not
limited to, a purchaser of all or substantially all of the
assets of a supplier or all or substantially all of the assets
of any division or product line of a supplier, any receiver,
trustee, liquidator or assignee of the supplier or any surviving
corporation resulting from a merger, liquidation or
reorganization of the original or any intermediate successor
supplier. Purchasers of all or substantially all of the
inventory of a supplier or a supplier's division or product line
shall constitute a purchaser of all or substantially all of the
supplier's assets.
(xix) "Terminate" means to terminate, cancel, fail to
renew or substantially change the competitive circumstances of a
dealer agreement.
40-20-114.
Violations of chapter.
(a) It shall be a violation of this chapter for a supplier
to take any one (1) or more of the following actions:
(i) To coerce, compel or require any dealer to accept
delivery of any equipment or repair parts which the dealer has
not voluntarily ordered, except as required by any applicable
law or unless the equipment or repair parts are safety features
required by a supplier;
(ii) To require any dealer to purchase goods or
services as a condition to the sale by the supplier to the
dealer of any equipment, repair parts or other goods or
services, except that nothing herein shall prohibit a supplier
from requiring the dealer to purchase all repair parts, special
tools and training reasonably necessary to maintain the safe
operation or quality of operation in the field of any equipment
offered for sale by the dealer;
(iii) To coerce any dealer into a refusal to purchase
equipment manufactured by another supplier. However, it shall
not be a violation of this section to require separate
facilities, financial statements, or sales staff for major
competing lines so long as the dealer is given at least three
(3) years notice of such requirement;
(iv) To refuse to deliver in reasonable quantities
and within a reasonable time, after receipt of the dealer's
order, to any dealer having a dealer agreement for the retail
sale of new equipment sold or distributed by the supplier,
equipment covered by the dealer agreement specifically
advertised or represented by the supplier to be available for
immediate delivery. The failure to deliver the equipment shall
not be considered a violation of this chapter if the failure is
due to prudent and reasonable restrictions on extensions of
credit by the supplier to the dealer, an act of God, work
stoppage or delay due to a strike or labor difficulty, a bona
fide shortage of materials, freight embargo, or other cause over
which the supplier has no control or a business decision by the
supplier to limit the production volume of the equipment;
(v) To discriminate, directly or indirectly, in
filling an order placed by a dealer for retail sale or lease of
new equipment under a dealer agreement as between dealers of the
same product line;
(vi) To discriminate, directly or indirectly, in
price between different dealers with respect to purchases of
equipment or repair parts of like grade and quality and
identical brand, where the effect of the discrimination may be
to substantially lessen competition, tend to create a monopoly
in any line of commerce or injure, destroy or prevent
competition with any dealer who either grants or knowingly
receives the benefit of the discrimination. Different prices
may be charged if:
(A) The differences are due to differences in
the cost of manufacture, sale or delivery of the equipment or
repair parts;
(B) The supplier can show that the lower price
was made in good faith to meet an equally low price of a
competitor; or
(C) The differences are related to the volume of
equipment purchased by dealers.
(vii) To prevent by contract or otherwise, any
dealer, from changing its capital structure, ownership or the
means by or through which the dealer finances its operations, so
long as the dealer gives prior notice to the supplier and
provided the dealer at all times meets any reasonable capital
standards agreed to between the dealer and the supplier and
imposed on similarly situated dealers and provided the change by
the dealer does not result in a change in the person with actual
or effective control of a majority of the voting interests of
the dealer;
(viii) To require a dealer to assent to a release,
assignment, novation, waiver or estoppel which would relieve any
person from liability imposed by this chapter;
(ix) Require as a condition of renewal or extension
of a dealer agreement that the dealer complete substantial
renovation to the dealer's place of business or to acquire new
or additional space to serve as the dealer's place of business
unless the supplier provides:
(A)
At least one (1) year written notice of the
(B)
All the grounds supporting the condition;
condition;
and
(C) A reasonable period of time in which to
complete the renovation or acquisition after the one (1) year
notice period expires.
40-20-115.
Termination of dealer agreements.
(a) A dealer may terminate a dealer agreement without
cause. The dealer shall give the supplier at least thirty (30)
days prior written notice of termination. No supplier may
terminate a dealer agreement without good cause. Notice from
the supplier to the dealer shall be as provided in W.S.
40-20-116 and 40-20-117. Except as otherwise specifically
provided in this chapter, good cause means the failure by a
dealer to substantially comply with essential and reasonable
requirements imposed upon the dealer by the dealer agreement,
provided the requirements are not different from those
requirements imposed on other similarly situated dealers either
by their terms or in the manner of their enforcement. In
addition, good cause shall exist whenever:
(i) The dealer or dealership has transferred a
controlling ownership interest in its business without the
supplier's consent;
(ii) The dealer has filed a voluntary petition in
bankruptcy or has had an involuntary petition in bankruptcy
filed against it which has not been discharged within thirty
(30) days after the filing, there has been a closeout or sale of
a substantial part of the dealer's assets related to the
business or there has been a commencement of dissolution or
liquidation of the dealer;
(iii) There has been a deletion, addition or change
in dealer or dealership locations without the prior written
approval of the supplier;
(iv) The dealer has defaulted under any chattel
mortgage or other security agreement between the dealer and the
supplier or there has been a revocation of any guarantee of the
dealer's present or future obligations to the supplier. Good
cause shall not exist if a person revokes any guarantee in
connection with or following the transfer of the person's entire
ownership interest in the dealer unless the supplier requires
the new person to execute a new guarantee of the dealer's
present or future obligations in connection with the transfer of
ownership interest;
(v) The dealer has failed to operate in the normal
course of business for seven (7) consecutive days or has
otherwise abandoned its business;
(vi) The dealer has pleaded guilty to or has been
convicted of a felony affecting the relationship between the
dealer and supplier;
(vii) The dealer has engaged in conduct which is
injurious or detrimental to the dealer's customers or to the
public welfare or the representation or reputation of the
supplier's product;
(viii) The dealer has consistently failed to meet and
maintain the supplier's requirements for reasonable standards
and performance objectives, so long as the supplier has given
the dealer reasonable standards and performance objectives that
are based on the manufacturer's experience in other comparable
market areas.
(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the
dealer agreements between a single line dealer and the single
line supplier.
40-20-116.
dealers.
Termination of dealer agreements; single line
(a) This section shall only apply to the dealer agreements
between a single line dealer and a single line supplier.
(b) No supplier may terminate a dealer agreement without
good cause. For purposes of this section and W.S. 40-20-118
only, good cause means failure by a dealer to comply with
requirements imposed upon the dealer by the dealer agreement if
the requirements are not different from those imposed on other
similarly situated dealers. In addition, good cause exists
when:
(i) There has been a closeout or sale of a
substantial part of the dealer's assets related to the equipment
business or there has been a commencement of a dissolution or
liquidation of the dealer;
(ii) The dealer has changed its principal place of
business or added additional locations without prior approval of
the supplier, which shall not be unreasonably withheld;
(iii) The dealer has substantially defaulted under a
chattel mortgage or other security agreement between the dealer
and the supplier or there has been a revocation or
discontinuance of a guarantee of a present or future obligation
of the dealer to the supplier;
(iv) The dealer has failed to operate in the normal
course of business for seven (7) consecutive days or has
otherwise abandoned its business;
(v) The dealer has pleaded guilty to or has been
convicted of a felony affecting the relationship between the
dealer and the supplier; or
(vi) The dealer transfers an interest in the
dealership, or a person with a substantial interest in the
ownership or control of the dealership, including an individual
proprietor, partner or major shareholder withdraws from the
dealership, dies or a substantial reduction occurs in the
interest of a partner or major shareholder in the dealership.
Good cause does not exist if the supplier consents to an action
described in this paragraph.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a
supplier shall provide a dealer with at least ninety (90) days
written notice of termination. The notice shall state all
reasons constituting good cause for the termination and shall
state the dealer has sixty (60) days in which to cure any
claimed deficiency. If the deficiency is cured within sixty
(60) days, the notice shall be void. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, if the good cause for termination is due to the
dealer's failure to meet or maintain the supplier's requirements
for market penetration, a reasonable period of time shall have
existed where the supplier has worked with the dealer to gain
the desired market share. The notice and right to cure
provisions under this subsection shall not apply if the reason
for termination is for any reason set forth in paragraphs (b)(i)
through (vi) of this section.
40-20-117. Notice of termination of dealer agreement; cure
of deficiency; approval of dealer ownership transfer; death of
dealer.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a
supplier shall provide a dealer at least one hundred eighty
(180) days prior written notice of termination of a dealer
agreement. The notice shall state all reasons constituting good
cause for the termination and shall state the dealer has sixty
(60) days in which to cure any claimed deficiency. If the
deficiency is cured within sixty (60) days, the notice shall be
void. A supplier may not terminate a dealer agreement for the
reason set forth in W.S. 40-20-115(a)(viii) unless the supplier
gives the dealer notice of the action at least two (2) years
before the effective date of the action. If the dealer achieves
the supplier's requirements for reasonable standards or
performance objectives before the expiration of the two (2) year
notice period, the notice shall be void and the dealer agreement
shall continue in full force and effect. The notice and right
to cure provisions under this section shall not apply if the
reason for termination is for any reason set forth in W.S.
40-20-115(a)(i) through (vii).
(b) If a supplier has contractual authority to approve or
deny a request for a sale or transfer of a dealer's business or
an equity ownership interest, the supplier shall approve or deny
the request within sixty (60) days after receiving a written
request from the dealer. If the supplier has neither approved
nor denied the request within the sixty (60) day period, the
request shall be deemed approved. The dealer's request shall
include reasonable financial, personal background, character
references and work history information for the acquiring
persons. If a supplier denies a request made pursuant to this
subsection, the supplier shall provide the dealer with a written
notice of the denial that states the reasons for the denial. A
supplier may only deny a request based on the failure of the
proposed transferee to meet the reasonable requirements
consistently imposed by the supplier in determining approval of
the transfer or approval of a new dealer.
(c) If a dealer dies and the supplier has contractual
authority to approve or deny a request for a sale or transfer of
the dealer's business or his equity ownership interest, the
dealer's estate or other person with authority to transfer
assets of the dealer, shall have one hundred eighty (180) days
to submit to the supplier a written request for a sale or
transfer of the business or equity ownership interest. If the
request is timely submitted, the supplier shall approve or deny
the request in accordance with subsection (b) of this section.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this
chapter, any attempt by the supplier to terminate the dealer or
the dealership as a result of the death of a dealer shall be
delayed until there has been compliance with the terms of this
subsection or the one hundred eighty (180) day period has
expired, as applicable.
(d) If a supplier and dealer have executed an agreement
concerning succession rights before the dealer's death and that
agreement has not been revoked or otherwise terminated by either
party, the agreement shall control the terms of succession even
if it designates someone other than the surviving spouse or
heirs of the decedent as the successor.
(e) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the
dealer agreements between a single line dealer and the single
line supplier.
40-20-118.
Death of single line dealer.
(a) This section shall only apply to the dealer agreements
between a single line dealer and a single line supplier.
(b) If a dealer dies, a supplier shall have ninety (90)
days in which to consider and make a determination on a request
by a family member to enter into a new dealer agreement to
operate the dealership. If the supplier determines that the
requesting family member is not acceptable, the supplier shall
provide the family member with a written notice of its
determination with the stated reasons for nonacceptance. This
subsection does not entitle an heir, personal representative or
family member to operate a dealership without the specific
written consent of the supplier.
(c) If a supplier and dealer have executed an agreement
concerning succession rights prior to the dealer's death and
that agreement is still in effect, the agreement shall control
the terms of succession even if it designates someone other than
the surviving spouse or heirs of the decedent as the successor.
40-20-119.
Reimbursement for warranty work.
(a) If a dealer submits a warranty claim to a supplier
while the dealer agreement is in effect or within sixty (60)
days after the termination of the dealer agreement and if the
claim is for work performed before the termination or expiration
of the dealer agreement, the supplier shall accept or reject the
warranty claim by written notice to the dealer within thirty
(30) days after the supplier's receipt of the claim. If the
supplier does not reject the warranty claim in the time period
specified above, the claim shall be deemed accepted. If the
supplier accepts the warranty claim, the supplier shall pay or
credit to the dealer's account all amounts owed with respect to
the claim to the dealer within thirty (30) days after it is
accepted. If the supplier rejects a warranty claim, the
supplier shall give the dealer written or electronic notice of
the grounds for rejection, which reasons shall be consistent
with the supplier's reasons for rejecting warranty claims of
other dealers, both in their terms and manner of enforcement.
If no grounds for rejection are given, the claim shall be deemed
accepted.
(b) Any claim which is disapproved by the supplier based
upon the dealer's failure to properly follow the procedural or
technical requirements for submission of warranty claims may be
resubmitted in proper form by the dealer within thirty (30) days
of receipt by the dealer of the supplier's notification of the
disapproval.
(c) Warranty work performed by the dealer shall be
compensated in accordance with the reasonable and customary
amount of time required to complete the work, expressed in hours
and fractions multiplied by the dealer's established customer
hourly retail labor rate, which shall have previously been made
known to the supplier. Parts used in warranty repair work shall
be reimbursed at the current net price plus fifteen percent
(15%).
(d) For purposes of this chapter, any repair work or
installation of replacement parts performed with respect to the
dealer's equipment in inventory or equipment of the dealer's
customers at the request of the supplier, including work
performed pursuant to a product improvement program, shall be
deemed to create a warranty claim for which the dealer shall be
paid pursuant to this section.
(e) A supplier may audit warranty claims submitted by its
dealers for a period of up to one (1) year following payment of
the claims, and may charge back to its dealers any amounts paid
based upon claims shown by the audit to be misrepresented. If a
warranty claim is misrepresented, then warranty claims submitted
within the three (3) year period ending with the date a claim is
shown by the audit to be misrepresented may be audited.
(f) The requirements of subsections (a) through (c) of
this section apply to all warranty claims submitted by a dealer
to a supplier in which the dealer has complied with the
supplier's reasonable policies and procedures for warranty
reimbursement. A supplier's warranty reimbursement policies and
procedures shall be deemed unreasonable to the extent they
conflict with any of the provisions of this section.
(g) A dealer may choose to accept alternate reimbursement
terms and conditions in lieu of the requirements of subsections
(a) through (c) of this section if there is a written dealer
agreement between the supplier and the dealer that requires the
supplier to compensate the dealer for warranty labor costs
either as:
(i)
dealer; or
A discount in the pricing of the equipment to the
(ii) A lump sum payment to the dealer that is made to
the dealer within ninety (90) days of the sale of the supplier's
new equipment.
(h) The discount or lump sum described in subsection (g)
of this section shall be no less than five percent (5%) of the
suggested retail price of the equipment. If the requirements of
subsections (g) and (h) of this section are met and alternate
terms and conditions are in place, subsections (a) through (c)
of this section do not apply and the alternate terms and
conditions are enforceable. Nothing contained in this
subsection or subsection (g) of this section shall be deemed to
effect the supplier's obligation to reimburse the dealer for
parts in accordance with subsection (c) of this section.
40-20-120. Repurchase obligations of supplier on
cancellation or discontinuance of dealer agreement.
(a) Whenever any dealer enters into a dealer agreement
with a supplier and either the supplier or the dealer desires to
cancel, not renew or otherwise discontinue the dealer agreement,
the supplier shall pay to the dealer or credit to the dealer's
account, if the dealer has outstanding any sums owing the
supplier, unless the dealer should desire to keep the equipment
or repair parts:
(i) A sum equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the
net equipment cost of all new, unsold, undamaged equipment, one
hundred percent (100%) of the net equipment cost of all unsold,
undamaged demonstrators, less a downward adjustment to reflect a
reasonable allowance for depreciation due to usage of the
demonstrators, which adjustment shall be based on published
industry rental rates to the extent such rates are available and
ninety-five percent (95%) of the current net parts prices on
new, unsold, undamaged repair parts that had previously been
purchased from the supplier and held by the dealer on the date
the dealer agreement terminates or expires. Demonstrators with
less than fifty (50) hours of use for machines with hour meters,
shall be considered new, unsold or undamaged equipment subject
to repurchase under this paragraph;
(ii) A sum equal to five percent (5%) of the current
net parts price of all repair parts returned to compensate the
dealer for the handling, packing and loading of the repair parts
for return to the supplier. The five percent (5%) shall not be
paid or credited to the dealer if the supplier elects to perform
the handling, packing and loading of the repair parts;
(iii) The fair market value of any specific data
processing hardware or software the supplier required the dealer
to acquire or purchase to satisfy the requirements of the
supplier, including computer equipment required and approved by
the supplier to communicate with the supplier. Fair market
value of property subject to repurchase pursuant to this
paragraph shall be deemed to be the acquisition cost, including
any shipping, handling and setup fees, less straight line
depreciation of the acquisition cost over three (3) years. If
the dealer purchased data processing hardware or software that
exceeded the supplier's minimum requirements, the acquisition
cost of the data processing hardware or software shall be deemed
to be the acquisition cost of hardware or software of similar
quality that did not exceed the minimum requirements of the
supplier;
(iv) A supplier shall repurchase specialized repair
tools at a price equal to seventy-five percent (75%) of the
total invoice amount charged by the supplier to the dealer.
(b) Upon the payment or allowance of credit to the
dealer's account of the sums required by this section, the title
to all inventory purchased hereunder shall pass to the supplier
making the payment and the supplier shall be entitled to the
possession of the inventory. All payments or allowances of
credit due dealers shall be paid or credited within ninety (90)
days after receipt by the supplier of property required to be
repurchased. Any payments or allowances of credit due dealers
that are not paid within the ninety (90) day period shall accrue
interest at the maximum rate allowed by law. The supplier may
withhold payments due under this subsection during the period of
time in which the dealer fails to comply with its contractual
obligations to remove any signage indicating the dealer is an
authorized dealer of the supplier.
(c) If any supplier refuses to repurchase any inventory
covered under the provisions of this chapter after cancellation,
nonrenewal or discontinuance of the dealer agreement, the
supplier shall be civilly liable to the dealer for one hundred
ten percent (110%) of the amount that would have been due for
the inventory if the supplier had timely complied with this
chapter, any freight charges paid by the dealer, interest
accrued and the dealer's actual costs of any court or
arbitration proceeding, including costs for attorney fees and
costs of arbitrators.
(d) The supplier and dealer shall each pay fifty percent
(50%) of the costs of freight, at truckload rates, to ship any
equipment or repair parts returned to the supplier pursuant to
this chapter.
(e) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the
uniform commercial code adopted by this state, the dealer shall
retain a first and prior lien against all inventory returned by
the dealer to the supplier under the provisions of this chapter
until the dealer is paid all amounts owed by the supplier for
the repurchase of the inventory required under the provisions of
this chapter. The dealer's lien under this subsection shall
constitute a perfected security interest for a period of six (6)
years without the filing of a financing statement.
(f) The provisions of this section shall not be construed
to affect in any way any security interest which the supplier
may have in the inventory of the dealer, and any repurchase
hereunder shall not be subject to the provisions of the bulk
sales law or to the claims of any secured or unsecured creditors
of the supplier or any assignee of the supplier until the time
the dealer has received full payment or credit, as applicable.
40-20-121.
Repurchase not required.
(a) The provisions of this chapter shall not require the
repurchase from a dealer of:
(i) Any repair part in a broken or damaged package.
The supplier shall be required to repurchase a repair part in a
broken or damaged package, for a repurchase price that is equal
to eighty-five percent (85%) of the current net price for the
repair part, if the aggregate current net price for the entire
package of repair parts is seventy-five dollars ($75.00) or
higher;
(ii) Any repair part which because of its condition
is not resalable as a new part without repackaging or
reconditioning;
(iii) Any inventory the dealer is unable to furnish
evidence, satisfactory to the supplier, of clear title, free and
clear of all claims, liens and encumbrances;
(iv) Any inventory the dealer desires to keep,
provided the dealer has a contractual right to do so;
(v) Any equipment or repair parts not in new, unsold,
undamaged or complete condition, subject to the provisions of
this chapter relating to demonstrators;
(vi) Any equipment delivered to the dealer prior to
the beginning of the thirty-six (36) month period immediately
preceding the date of notification of termination;
(vii) Any equipment or repair parts ordered by the
dealer on or after the date of notification of termination;
(viii) Any equipment or repair parts acquired by the
dealer from any source other than the supplier unless the
equipment or repair parts were ordered from or invoiced to the
dealer by the supplier; or
(ix) Any equipment or repair parts not returned to
the supplier within ninety (90) days after the later of:
(A) The effective date of termination of a
dealer agreement; and
(B) The date the dealer receives from the
supplier all information, documents or supporting materials
required by the supplier to comply with the supplier's return
policy. This subparagraph shall not be applicable to a dealer
if the supplier did not give the dealer notice of the ninety
(90) day deadline at the time the applicable notice of
termination was sent to the dealer.
40-20-122.
Remedies and enforcement.
If the supplier violates any provision of this chapter, the
dealer may bring an action against the supplier in a court of
competent jurisdiction for damages sustained by the dealer as a
consequence of the supplier's violation, including, but not
limited to, damages for lost profits, together with the actual
costs of the action, including the attorney fees and costs of
arbitrators. The dealer may also be granted injunctive relief
against unlawful termination. The remedies set forth in this
section shall not be deemed exclusive and shall be in addition
to any other remedies permitted by law.
40-20-123.
Choice of remedies; exemption from tax.
(a) The provisions of this chapter shall be supplemental
to any dealer agreement between the dealer and the supplier
which provides the dealer with greater protection. The dealer
can elect to pursue its contract remedy or the remedy provided
by state law, or both. An election by the dealer to pursue
these remedies shall not bar its right to exercise any other
remedies that may be granted at law or in equity.
(b) Any repurchase under this chapter is not subject to
sales or use tax.
CHAPTER 21
UNIFORM ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS ACT
40-21-101.
Short title.
This act may be cited as the "Uniform Electronic Transactions
Act."
40-21-102.
(a)
Definitions.
In this article unless the context otherwise requires:
(i) "Agreement" means the bargain of the parties in
fact, as found in their language or inferred from other
circumstances and from rules, regulations and procedures given
the effect of agreements under laws otherwise applicable to a
particular transaction;
(ii) "Automated transaction" means a transaction
conducted or performed, in whole or in part, by electronic means
or electronic records, in which the acts or records of one (1)
or both parties are not reviewed by an individual in the
ordinary course in forming a contract, performing under an
existing contract or fulfilling an obligation required by the
transaction;
(iii) "Computer program" means a set of statements or
instructions to be used directly or indirectly in an information
processing system in order to bring about a certain result;
(iv) "Contract" means the total legal obligation
resulting from the parties' agreement as affected by this act
and other applicable law;
(v) "Electronic" means relating to technology having
electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical,
electromagnetic or similar capabilities;
(vi) "Electronic agent" means a computer program or
an electronic or other automated means used independently to
initiate an action or respond to electronic records or
performances in whole or in part, without review or action by an
individual;
(vii) "Electronic record" means a record created,
generated, sent, communicated, received or stored by electronic
means;
(viii) "Electronic signature" means an electronic
sound, symbol or process attached to or logically associated
with a record and executed or adopted by a person with the
intent to sign the record;
(ix) "Governmental agency" means an executive,
legislative or judicial agency, department, board, commission,
authority, institution or instrumentality of the federal
government or of a state or of a county, municipality or other
political subdivision of a state;
(x) "Information" means data, text, images, sounds,
codes, computer programs, software, databases or the like;
(xi) "Information processing system" means an
electronic system for creating, generating, sending, receiving,
storing, displaying or processing information;
(xii) "Person" means an individual, corporation,
business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability
company, association, joint venture, governmental agency, public
corporation or any other legal or commercial entity;
(xiii) "Record" means information that is inscribed
on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other
medium and is retrievable in perceivable form;
(xiv) "Security procedure" means a procedure employed
for the purpose of verifying that an electronic signature,
record or performance is that of a specific person or for
detecting changes or errors in the information in an electronic
record. The term includes a procedure that requires the use of
algorithms or other codes, identifying words or numbers,
encryption, or callback or other acknowledgment procedures;
(xv) "State" means a state of the United States, the
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin
Islands or any territory or insular possession subject to the
jurisdiction of the United States. The term includes an Indian
tribe or band, or Alaskan native village, which is recognized by
federal law or formally acknowledged by a state;
(xvi) "Transaction" means an action or set of actions
occurring between two (2) or more persons relating to the
conduct of business, commercial or governmental affairs;
(xvii)
40-21-119.
40-21-103.
"This act" means W.S. 40-21-101 through
Scope.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this
section, this act applies to electronic records and electronic
signatures relating to a transaction.
(b) This act does not apply to a transaction to the extent
it is governed by:
(i) A law governing the creation and execution of
wills, codicils or testamentary trusts;
(ii) The Uniform Commercial Code other than W.S.
34.1-1-107 and 34.1-1-206, article 2 and article 2A; and
(iii)
The Uniform Computer Information Transactions
Act.
(c) This act applies to an electronic record or electronic
signature otherwise excluded from the application of this act
under subsection (b) of this section to the extent it is
governed by a law other than those specified in subsection (b)
of this section.
(d) A transaction subject to this act is also subject to
other applicable substantive law.
40-21-104.
Application.
This act applies to any electronic record or electronic
signature created, generated, sent, communicated, received or
stored on or after July 1, 2001.
40-21-105. Use of electronic records and electronic
signatures, variation by agreement.
(a) This act does not require a record or signature to be
created, generated, sent, communicated, received, stored or
otherwise processed or used by electronic means or in electronic
form.
(b) This act applies only to transactions between parties
each of which has agreed to conduct transactions by electronic
means. Whether the parties agree to conduct a transaction by
electronic means is determined from the context and surrounding
circumstances, including the parties' conduct.
(c) A party that agrees to conduct a transaction by
electronic means may refuse to conduct other transactions by
electronic means. The right granted by this subsection may not
be waived by agreement.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in this act, the effect
of any of its provisions may be varied by agreement. The
presence in certain provisions of this act of the words "unless
otherwise agreed", or words of similar import, does not imply
that the effect of other provisions may not be varied by
agreement.
(e) Whether an electronic record or electronic signature
has legal consequences is determined by this act and other
applicable law.
40-21-106.
(a)
Construction and application.
This act must be construed and applied:
(i) To facilitate electronic transactions consistent
with other applicable law;
(ii) To be consistent with reasonable practices
concerning electronic transactions and with the continued
expansion of those practices; and
(iii) To effectuate its general purpose to make
uniform the law with respect to the subject of this act among
states enacting it.
40-21-107. Legal recognition of electronic records,
electronic signatures and electronic contracts.
(a) A record or signature may not be denied legal effect
or enforceability solely because it is in electronic form.
(b) A contract may not be denied legal effect or
enforceability solely because an electronic record was used in
its formation.
(c) If a law requires a record to be in writing, an
electronic record satisfies the law.
(d) If a law requires a signature, an electronic signature
satisfies the law.
40-21-108. Provisions of information in writing;
presentation of records.
(a) If parties have agreed to conduct a transaction by
electronic means and a law requires a person to provide, send,
or deliver information in writing to another person, the
requirement is satisfied if the information is provided, sent or
delivered, as the case may be, in an electronic record capable
of retention by the recipient at the time of receipt. An
electronic record is not capable of retention by the recipient
if the sender or its information processing system inhibits the
ability of the recipient to print or store the electronic
record.
(b) If a law other than this act requires a record to be
posted or displayed in a certain manner, to be sent,
communicated or transmitted by a specified method or to contain
information that is formatted in a certain manner, the following
rules apply:
(i) The record must be posted or displayed in the
manner specified in the other law;
(ii) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph
(d)(ii) of this section, the record must be sent, communicated
or transmitted by the method specified in the other law;
(iii) The record must contain the information
formatted in the manner specified in the other law.
(c) If a sender inhibits the ability of a recipient to
store or print an electronic record, the electronic record is
not enforceable against the recipient.
(d) The requirements of this section may not be varied by
agreement, but:
(i) To the extent a law other than this act requires
information to be provided, sent or delivered in writing but
permits that requirement to be varied by agreement, the
requirement under subsection (a) of this section that the
information be in the form of an electronic record capable of
retention may also be varied by agreement; and
(ii) A requirement under a law other than this act to
send, communicate or transmit a record by first-class mail,
postage prepaid or regular United States mail, may be varied by
agreement to the extent permitted by the other law.
40-21-109. Attribution and effect of electronic record and
electronic signature.
(a) An electronic record or electronic signature is
attributable to a person if it was the act of the person. The
act of the person may be shown in any manner, including a
showing of the efficacy of any security procedure applied to
determine the person to which the electronic record or
electronic signature was attributable.
(b) The effect of an electronic record or electronic
signature attributed to a person under subsection (a) of this
section is determined from the context and surrounding
circumstances at the time of its creation, execution or
adoption, including the parties' agreement, if any, and
otherwise as provided by law.
40-21-110.
Effect of change or error.
(a) If a change or error in an electronic record occurs in
a transmission between parties to a transaction, the following
rules apply:
(i) If the parties have agreed to use a security
procedure to detect changes or errors and one (1) party has
conformed to the procedure, but the other party has not, and the
nonconforming party would have detected the change or error had
that party also conformed, the conforming party may avoid the
effect of the changed or erroneous electronic record;
(ii) In an automated transaction involving an
individual, the individual may avoid the effect of an electronic
record that resulted from an error made by the individual in
dealing with the electronic agent of another person if the
electronic agent did not provide an opportunity for the
prevention or correction of the error and, at the time the
individual learns of the error, the individual:
(A) Promptly notifies the other person of the
error and that the individual did not intend to be bound by the
electronic record received by the other person;
(B) Takes reasonable steps, including steps that
conform to the other person's reasonable instructions, to return
to the other person or, if instructed by the other person, to
destroy the consideration received, if any, as a result of the
erroneous electronic record; and
(C) Has not used or received any benefit or
value from the consideration, if any, received from the other
person.
(iii) If neither paragraph (i) nor (ii) of this
subsection applies, the change or error has the effect provided
by other law, including the law of mistake, and the parties'
contract, if any;
(iv) Paragraphs (ii) and (iii) of this subsection may
not be varied by agreement.
40-21-111.
Notarization and acknowledgment.
If a law requires a signature or record to be notarized,
acknowledged, verified or made under oath, the requirement is
satisfied if the electronic signature of the person authorized
to perform those acts, together with all other information
required to be included by other applicable law, is attached to
or logically associated with the signature or record.
40-21-112.
Retention to electronic records, originals.
(a) If a law requires that a record be retained, the
requirement is satisfied by retaining an electronic record of
the information in the record which:
(i) Accurately reflects the information set forth in
the record after it was first generated in its final form as an
electronic record or otherwise; and
(ii)
Remains accessible for later reference.
(b) A requirement to retain a record in accordance with
subsection (a) of this section does not apply to any information
the sole purpose of which is to enable the record to be sent,
communicated or received.
(c) A person may satisfy subsection (a) of this section by
using the services of another person if the requirements of that
subsection are satisfied.
(d) If a law requires a record to be presented or retained
in its original form, or provides consequences if the record is
not presented or retained in its original form, that law is
satisfied by an electronic record retained in accordance with
subsection (a) of this section.
(e) If a law requires retention of a check, that
requirement is satisfied by retention of an electronic record of
the information on the front and back of the check in accordance
with subsection (a) of this section.
(f) A record retained as an electronic record in
accordance with subsection (a) of this section satisfies a law
requiring a person to retain a record for evidentiary, audit or
like purposes, unless a law enacted after the effective date of
this act specifically prohibits the use of an electronic record
for the specified purpose.
(g) This section does not preclude a governmental agency
of this state from specifying additional requirements for the
retention of a record subject to the agency's jurisdiction.
40-21-113.
Admissibility in evidence.
In a proceeding, evidence of a record or signature may not be
excluded solely because it is in electronic form.
40-21-114.
Automated transaction.
(a)
apply:
In an automated transaction, the following rules
(i) A contract may be formed by the interaction of
electronic agents of the parties, even if no individual was
aware of or reviewed the electronic agents' actions or the
resulting terms and agreements;
(ii) A contract may be formed by the interaction of
an electronic agent and an individual, acting on the
individual's own behalf or for another person, including by an
interaction in which the individual performs actions that the
individual is free to refuse to perform and which the individual
knows or has reason to know will cause the electronic agent to
complete the transaction or performance;
(iii) The terms of the contract are determined by the
substantive law applicable to it.
40-21-115.
Time and place of sending and receipt.
(a) Unless otherwise agreed between the sender and the
recipient, an electronic record is sent when it:
(i) Is addressed properly or otherwise directed
properly to an information processing system that the recipient
has designated or uses for the purpose of receiving electronic
records or information of the type sent and from which the
recipient is able to retrieve the electronic record;
(ii)
system; and
Is in a form capable of being processed by that
(iii) Enters an information processing system outside
the control of the sender or of a person that sent the
electronic record on behalf of the sender or enters a region of
the information processing system designated or used by the
recipient which is under the control of the recipient.
(b) Unless otherwise agreed between a sender and the
recipient, an electronic record is received when:
(i) It enters an information processing system that
the recipient has designated or uses for the purpose of
receiving electronic records or information of the type sent and
from which the recipient is able to retrieve the electronic
record; and
(ii)
that system.
It is in a form capable of being processed by
(c) Subsection (b) of this section applies even if the
place the information processing system is located is different
from the place the electronic record is deemed to be received
under subsection (d) of this section.
(d) Unless otherwise expressly provided in the electronic
record or agreed between the sender and the recipient, an
electronic record is deemed to be sent from the sender's place
of business and to be received at the recipient's place of
business. For purposes of this subsection, the following rules
apply:
(i) If the sender or recipient has more than one (1)
place of business, the place of business of that person is the
place having the closest relationship to the underlying
transaction;
(ii) If the sender or the recipient does not have a
place of business, the place of business is the sender's or
recipient's residence, as the case may be.
(e) An electronic record is received under subsection (b)
of this section even if no individual is aware of its receipt.
(f) Receipt of an electronic acknowledgment from an
information processing system described in subsection (b) of
this section establishes that a record was received but, by
itself, does not establish that the content sent corresponds to
the content received.
(g) If a person is aware that an electronic record
purportedly sent under subsection (a) of this section, or
purportedly received under subsection (b) of this section, was
not actually sent or received, the legal effect of the sending
or receipt is determined by other applicable law. Except to the
extent permitted by the other law, the requirements of this
subsection may not be varied by agreement.
40-21-116.
Transferable records.
(a) In this section, "transferable record" means an
electronic record that:
(i) Would be a note under article 3 of the Uniform
Commercial Code or a document under article 7 of the Uniform
Commercial Code if the electronic record were in writing; and
(ii) The issuer of the electronic record expressly
has agreed is a transferable record.
(b) A person has control of a transferable record if a
system employed for evidencing the transfer of interests in the
transferable record reliably establishes that person as the
person to which the transferable record was issued or
transferred.
(c) A system satisfies subsection (b) of this section, and
a person is deemed to have control of a transferable record, if
the transferable record is created, stored and assigned in such
a manner that:
(i) A single authoritative copy of the transferable
record exists which is unique, identifiable and, except as
otherwise provided in paragraphs (iv), (v) and (vi) of this
subsection, unalterable;
(ii) The authoritative copy identifies the person
asserting control as:
(A)
The person to which the transferable record
was issued; or
(B) If the authoritative copy indicates that the
transferable record has been transferred, the person to which
the transferable record was most recently transferred.
(iii) The authoritative copy is communicated to and
maintained by the person asserting control or its designated
custodian;
(iv) Copies or revisions that add or change an
identified assignee of the authoritative copy can be made only
with the consent of the person asserting control;
(v) Each copy of the authoritative copy and any copy
of a copy is readily identifiable as a copy that is not the
authoritative copy; and
(vi) Any revision of the authoritative copy is
readily identifiable as authorized or unauthorized.
(d) Except as otherwise agreed, a person having control of
a transferable record is the holder, as defined in W.S.
34.1-1-201(a)(xx), of the transferable record and has the same
rights and defenses as a holder of an equivalent record or
writing under the Uniform Commercial Code, including, if the
applicable statutory requirements under W.S. 34.1-3-302(a),
34.1-7-501 or 34.1-9-308 of the Uniform Commercial Code are
satisfied, the rights and defenses of a holder in due course, a
holder to which a negotiable document of title has been duly
negotiated, or a purchaser, respectively. Delivery, possession
and indorsement are not required to obtain or exercise any of
the rights under this subsection.
(e) Except as otherwise agreed, an obligor under a
transferable record has the same rights and defenses as an
equivalent obligor under equivalent records or writings under
the Uniform Commercial Code.
(f) If requested by a person against which enforcement is
sought, the person seeking to enforce the transferable record
shall provide reasonable proof that the person is in control of
the transferable record. Proof may include access to the
authoritative copy of the transferable record and related
business records sufficient to review the terms of the
transferable record and to establish the identity of the person
having control of the transferable record.
40-21-117. Creation and retention of electronic records
and conversion of written records by government agencies.
Each governmental agency shall determine whether, and the extent
to which, a governmental agency will create and retain
electronic records and convert written records to electronic
records.
40-21-118. Acceptance and distribution of electronic
records by governmental agencies.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in W.S. 40-21-112(f),
each governmental agency of this state shall determine whether,
and the extent to which, governmental agency will send and
accept electronic records and electronic signatures to and from
other persons and otherwise create, generate, communicate,
store, process, use and rely upon electronic records and
electronic signatures.
(b) To the extent that a governmental agency uses
electronic records and electronic signatures under subsection
(a) of this section, the department of enterprise technology
services shall promulgate rules in accordance with the Wyoming
Administrative Procedure Act to specify for state agencies:
(i) The manner and format in which the electronic
records must be created, generated, sent, communicated, received
and stored and the systems established for those purposes;
(ii) If electronic records must be signed by
electronic means, the type of electronic signature required, the
manner and format in which the electronic signature must be
affixed to the electronic record and the identity of, or
criteria that must be met by, any third party used by a person
filing a document to facilitate the process;
(iii) Control processes and procedures as appropriate
to ensure adequate preservation, disposition, integrity,
security, confidentiality and auditability of electronic
records; and
(iv) Any other required attributes for electronic
records which are specified for corresponding nonelectronic
records or reasonably necessary under the circumstances.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in W.S. 40-21-112(f),
this act does not require a governmental agency of this state to
use or permit the use of electronic records or electronic
signatures.
40-21-119.
Interoperability.
The department of enterprise technology services in adopting
standards pursuant to W.S. 40-21-118 may encourage and promote
consistency and interoperability with similar requirements
adopted by other governmental agencies of this and other states
and the federal government and nongovernmental persons
interacting with governmental agencies of this state. If
appropriate, those standards may specify differing levels of
standards from which governmental agencies of this state may
choose in implementing the most appropriate standard for a
particular application.
CHAPTER 22
WYOMING MONEY TRANSMITTERS ACT
40-22-101.
Short title.
This act may be cited as the "Wyoming Money Transmitters Act."
40-22-102.
(a)
Definitions.
As used in this act:
(i) "Applicant" means a person filing an application
for a license;
(ii) "Authorized delegate" means an entity designated
by the licensee to engage in the business of transmitting money
on behalf of a licensee;
(iii)
commissioner;
"Commissioner" means the state banking
(iv) "Control" means the power to vote or ownership
of twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the outstanding voting
securities of a licensee or controlling person. To determine
the percentage of a licensee controlled by any person, there
shall be aggregated with the person's interest the interest of
any other person controlled by such person or by any spouse,
parent or child of the person;
(v) "Controlling person" means any person in control
of a licensee;
(vi)
"Division" means the division of banking;
(vii) "Electronic instrument" means a card or other
tangible object for the transmission or payment of money which
contains a microprocessor chip, magnetic stripe or other means
for the storage of information that is prefunded and for which
the value is decremented upon each use, but does not include a
card or other tangible object that is redeemable by the issuer
in goods or services;
(viii) "Executive officer" means the licensee's
president, chairman of the executive committee, senior officer
responsible for the licensee's business, chief financial officer
and any other person who performs similar functions;
(ix) "Key shareholder" means any person, or group of
persons acting in concert, who is the owner of twenty-five
percent (25%) or more of any voting class of an applicant's
stock;
(x)
"Licensee" means a person licensed under this
act;
(xi) "Material litigation" means any litigation that
according to generally accepted accounting principles, is deemed
significant to an applicant's or licensee's financial health and
is referenced in the applicant's or licensee's annual audited
financial statements, report to shareholders or similar
documents;
(xii) "Monetary value" means a medium of exchange
whether or not redeemable in money;
(xiii) "Money transmission" means to engage in
business to sell or issue payment instruments, stored value or
receive money or monetary value for transmission to a location
within or outside the United States by any and all means,
including but not limited to wire, facsimile or electronic
transfer;
(xiv) "Outstanding payment instrument" means any
payment instrument issued by the licensee which has been sold in
the United States directly by the licensee or any payment
instrument issued by the licensee which has been sold by an
authorized delegate or subdelegate of the licensee in the United
States, which has been reported to the licensee as having been
sold and which has not yet been paid by or for the licensee;
(xv) "Payment instrument" means any electronic or
written check, draft, money order, travelers check or other
electronic or written instrument or order for the transmission
or payment of money, sold or issued to one (1) or more persons,
whether or not the instrument is negotiable. The term "payment
instrument" does not include any credit card voucher, any letter
of credit or any instrument which is redeemable by the issuer in
goods or services;
(xvi)
"Permissible investments" means:
(A)
Cash;
(B) Certificates of deposit or other debt
obligations of a financial institution, either domestic or
foreign;
(C) Bills of exchange or time drafts drawn on
and accepted by a commercial bank, otherwise known as bankers'
acceptances, which are eligible for purchase by member banks of
the federal reserve system;
(D) Any investment securities bearing a rating
of one (1) of the four (4) highest grades as defined by a
nationally recognized organization that rates securities;
(E) Investment securities that are obligations
of the United States, its agencies or instrumentalities, or
obligations that are guaranteed fully as to principal and
interest of the United States, or any obligations of any state,
municipality or any political subdivision thereof;
(F) Shares in a money market mutual fund,
interest bearing bills, notes or bonds, debentures or stock
traded on any national securities exchange or on a national over
the counter market, or mutual funds primarily composed of such
securities or a fund composed of one (1) or more permissible
investments as set forth in this paragraph;
(G) Any demand borrowing agreement made to a
corporation or a subsidiary of a corporation whose capital stock
is listed on a national exchange;
(H) Receivables which are due to a licensee from
its authorized delegates or subdelegates which are not past due
or doubtful of collection; or
(J) Any other investments or security device
approved by the commissioner.
(xvii) "Remit" means either to make direct payment of
the funds to the licensee or its representatives authorized to
receive those funds, or to deposit the funds in a bank, credit
union or savings and loan association or other similar financial
institution in an account specified by the licensee;
(xviii) "Stored value" means monetary value that is
evidenced by an electronic record;
(xix) "Channeling agent" means the third party
licensing system that gathers the application information and
distributes it to Wyoming for review for the approval or denial
decision;
(xx) "Registry" means the nationwide licensing system
and registry maintained by the State Regulatory Registry, LLC;
(xxi) "Subdelegate" means an entity designated by an
authorized delegate by written contract to engage in the
business of money transmission on behalf of a licensee.
40-22-103.
License required.
(a) With the exception of those persons exempt pursuant to
W.S. 40-22-104, on and after October 1, 2003, no person shall
engage in the business of money transmission without a license.
The division shall regulate money transmitters and carry out the
provisions of this act.
(b) A person is engaged in the business of money
transmission if the person advertises, offers or provides
services to Wyoming residents, for personal, family or household
use, through any medium including, but not limited to, internet
or other electronic means.
(c) A licensee with a physical presence in this state may
conduct its business at one (1) or more locations, directly or
indirectly owned, or through one (1) or more authorized
delegates or subdelegates, or both, pursuant to a single license
granted to the licensee, provided that for each business name, a
separate license shall be required.
(d) Every licensee, authorized delegate and subdelegate
shall comply with the Bank Secrecy Act, 12 U.S.C. 1951 et seq.
(e) Authorized delegates or subdelegates of a licensee,
acting within the scope of authority conferred by a written
contract as described in W.S. 40-22-118 shall not be required to
obtain a license.
40-22-104.
(a)
Exemptions.
This act shall not apply to:
(i) The United States or any department, agency, or
instrumentality thereof;
(ii)
(iii)
The United States post office;
The state or any political subdivisions
thereof;
(iv) Banks, bank holding companies, credit unions,
building and loan associations, savings and loan associations,
savings banks or mutual banks organized under the laws of any
state or the United States provided that they do not issue or
sell payment instruments through authorized delegates or
subdelegates who are not banks, bank holding companies, credit
unions, building and loan associations, savings and loan
associations, savings banks or mutual banks; and
(v) Electronic transfer of government benefits for
any federal, state or county governmental agency as defined in
Federal Reserve Board Regulation E by a contractor for and on
behalf of the United States or any department, agency or
instrumentality thereof, or any state or any political
subdivisions thereof.
40-22-105.
License requirements.
(a) Each licensee shall at all times have a net worth of
not less than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00), as
calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles.
(b) Every corporate applicant at the time of filing of an
application for a license and at all times after a license is
issued, shall be in good standing in the state of its
incorporation. All noncorporate applicants shall at the time of
the filing of an application for a license and at all times
after a license is issued, be registered or qualified to do
business in the state.
40-22-106.
Bond or other security device.
(a) Each application shall be accompanied by a surety
bond, irrevocable letter of credit or other similar security
device acceptable to the commissioner in the amount of ten
thousand dollars ($10,000.00) or two and one-half (2½) times the
outstanding payment instruments, whichever is greater. The
commissioner may increase the required amount of the bond or
security device to a maximum of five hundred thousand dollars
($500,000.00) upon the basis of the impaired financial condition
of a licensee as evidenced by a reduction in net worth,
financial losses or other relevant criteria. The security
device shall be in a form satisfactory to the commissioner and
shall run to the state for the benefit of any claimants against
the licensee to secure the faithful performance of the
obligations of the licensee with respect to the receipt,
handling, transmission and payment of money in connection with
the sale and issuance of payment instruments or transmission of
money. In the case of a bond, the aggregate liability of the
surety in no event shall exceed the principal sum of the bond.
Claimants against the licensee may bring suit directly on the
security device or the commissioner may bring suit on behalf of
the claimants either in one (1) action or in successive actions.
(b) In lieu of a security device or any portion of the
principal thereof as required by this section, the licensee may
deposit with the commissioner or with banks in this state as the
licensee may designate and the commissioner may approve, cash,
interest bearing stocks and bonds, notes, debentures or other
obligations of the United States or any agency or
instrumentality thereof, or guaranteed by the United States, or
of this state or a political subdivision, or guaranteed by this
state, to an aggregate amount, based upon principal amount or
market value, whichever is lower, of not less than the amount of
the security device or portion thereof. The securities or cash
shall be deposited and held to secure the same obligations as
would the security device. The depositor shall be entitled to
receive all interest and dividends and shall have the right with
the approval of the commissioner, to substitute other securities
for those deposited, and shall be required to do so on written
order of the commissioner made for good cause shown.
(c) The security device shall remain in effect until
cancellation, which may occur only after written notice to the
commissioner thirty (30) days prior to the effective date of
cancellation. Cancellation shall not affect any liability
incurred or accrued during the thirty (30) day period.
(d) The security device shall remain in place for no
longer than five (5) years after the licensee ceases money
transmission operations in the state. The commissioner may
permit the security device to be reduced or eliminated prior to
the five (5) years to the extent that the amount of the
licensee's payment instruments outstanding in this state are
reduced. The commissioner may also permit a licensee to
substitute a letter of credit or other form of security device
acceptable to the commissioner for the security device in place
at the time the licensee ceases money transmission operations in
the state.
40-22-107.
Permissible investments and statutory trust.
(a) Each licensee shall at all times possess permissible
investments having an aggregate market value calculated in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, of not
less than the aggregate face amount of all outstanding payment
instruments issued or sold by the licensee in the United States.
This requirement may be waived by the commissioner if the dollar
volume of a licensee's outstanding payment instruments does not
exceed the bond or other security devices posted by the licensee
pursuant to W.S. 40-22-106.
(b) Permissible investments even if commingled with other
assets of the licensee, shall be deemed by operation of law to
be held in trust for the benefit of the purchasers and holders
of the licensee's outstanding payment instruments in the event
of the bankruptcy of the licensee.
40-22-108.
Application for license.
(a) Each application for a license shall be made in
writing and in a form prescribed by the commissioner. Each
application shall include the following:
(i) The exact name of the applicant, the applicant's
principal address, any fictitious or trade name used by the
applicant in the conduct of its business and the location of the
applicant's business records;
(ii) The applicant's history of material litigation
and criminal convictions for the five (5) year period prior to
the date of the application;
(iii) A description of the activities conducted by
the applicant and a history of operations;
(iv) A description of the business activities in
which the applicant seeks to be engaged in the state;
(v) A list identifying the applicant's proposed
authorized delegates or subdelegates in the state, if any, at
the time of the filing of the license application;
(vi)
applicable;
(vii)
applicable;
A sample authorized delegate contract, if
A sample form of payment instrument, if
(viii) The location at which the applicant and its
authorized delegates and its subdelegates, if any, propose to
conduct the licensed activities in the state; and
(ix) The name and address of the clearing bank on
which payment instruments will be drawn or through which the
payment instruments will be payable.
(b) If the applicant is a corporation, the applicant shall
also provide:
(i) The date of the applicant's incorporation and
state of incorporation;
(ii) A certificate of good standing from the state in
which the applicant was incorporated;
(iii) A description of the corporate structure of the
applicant, including the identity of any parent or subsidiary of
the applicant and the disclosure of whether any parent or
subsidiary is publicly traded on any stock exchange;
(iv) The name, business and residence address and
employment history for the past five (5) years of the
applicant's executive officers and the officer or manager who
will be in charge of the applicant's licensed activities in this
state;
(v) The name, business and residence address, and
employment history for the period five (5) years prior to the
date of the application of any key shareholder of the applicant;
(vi) The history of material litigation and criminal
convictions for the five (5) year period prior to the date of
the application of every executive officer or key shareholder of
the applicant;
(vii) A copy of the applicant's most recent audited
financial statement including balance sheet, statement of income
or loss, statement of changes in shareholder equity and
statement of changes in financial position and if available, the
applicant's audited financial statements for the immediately
preceding two (2) year period. Provided, if the applicant is a
wholly owned subsidiary of another corporation, the applicant
may submit either the parent corporation's consolidated audited
financial statements for the current year and for the
immediately preceding two (2) year period or the parent
corporation's Form 10K reports filed with the United States
securities and exchange commission for the prior three (3) years
in lieu of the applicant's financial statements. If the
applicant is a wholly owned subsidiary of a corporation having
its principal place of business outside the United States,
similar documentation filed with the parent corporation's non
United States regulator may be submitted to satisfy this
provision; and
(viii) Copies of all filings, if any, made by the
applicant with the United States securities and exchange
commission or with a similar regulator in a country other than
the United States, within the year preceding the date of filing
of the application.
(c) If the applicant is not a corporation, the applicant
shall also provide:
(i) The name, business and residence address,
personal financial statement and employment history for the past
five (5) years, of each principal of the applicant and the name,
business and residence address and employment history for the
past five (5) years of any other person or persons who will be
in charge of the applicant's licensed activities;
(ii) The place and date of the applicant's
registration or qualification to do business in this state;
(iii) The history of material litigation and criminal
convictions for the five (5) year period prior to the date of
the application for each individual having any ownership
interest in the applicant and each individual who exercises
supervisory responsibility with respect to the applicant's
activities; and
(iv) Copies of the applicant's audited financial
statements including balance sheet, statement of income or loss
and statement of changes in financial position for the current
year and if available, for the immediately preceding two (2)
year period.
(d) The commissioner is authorized for good cause shown,
to waive any requirement of this section with respect to any
license application or to permit a license applicant to submit
substituted information in its license application in lieu of
the information required by this section.
(e) The commissioner may require a licensee under this act
or an applicant for a license issued under this act to submit to
a background investigation including fingerprint checks for
state, national and international criminal history record checks
as necessary. While exercising his authority under this
subsection, the commissioner may utilize background checks
completed by the division of criminal investigation, other
government agencies in this state or in other states, the
federal bureau of investigation or the registry or any other
entity designated by the registry.
(f) The commissioner may determine the content of
application forms and the means by which an applicant applies
for, renews or amends a license under this act. The
administrator may allow applicants to utilize the registry or an
entity designated by the registry for the processing of
applications and fees.
(g) In order to fulfill the purposes of this act, the
administrator may establish relationships or contract with the
registry or any other entity designated by the registry to
collect and maintain records and process transaction fees or
other fees related to licensees or other persons subject to this
act.
(h) In connection with an application for licensing the
applicant shall, at a minimum, furnish the commissioner or the
registry information concerning the identity of the applicant,
the owners or persons in charge of the applicant and individuals
designated in charge of the applicant's places of business,
including:
(i) Fingerprints for submission to the federal bureau
of investigation, and any governmental agency or entity
authorized to receive such information for a state, national and
international criminal history background check; and
(ii) Personal history and experience, including the
submission of authorization for the registry or the
administrator to obtain:
(A) An independent credit report obtained from a
consumer reporting agency described in section 603(p) of the
federal Fair Credit Reporting Act; and
(B) Information related to any administrative,
civil or criminal findings by any governmental jurisdiction.
(j) For the purposes of this section and in order to
reduce the points of contact which the federal bureau of
investigation may have to maintain for purposes of paragraph
(h)(i) of this section and subparagraph (h)(ii)(B) of this
section, the administrator may use the registry as a channeling
agent for requesting information from and distributing
information to the department of justice or any governmental
agency.
(k) For the purposes of this section and in order to
reduce the points of contact which the administrator may have to
maintain for purposes of paragraph (h)(ii) of this section, the
administrator may use the registry as a channeling agent for
requesting and distributing information to and from any source
as directed by the administrator.
40-22-109.
Application fee.
Each application shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable
application fee not to exceed three thousand dollars ($3,000.00)
for each license applied for, as set by rule of the
commissioner.
40-22-110.
Issuance of license.
(a) After the applicant files an application, the
commissioner shall investigate the financial condition and
responsibility, financial and business experience, character and
general fitness of the applicant. The commissioner may conduct
an on site investigation of the applicant, the reasonable cost
of which shall be borne by the applicant. If the commissioner
finds that the applicant's business will be conducted honestly,
fairly and in a manner commanding the confidence and trust of
the community and that the applicant has fulfilled the
requirements imposed by this act and has paid the required
application fee, the commissioner shall issue a license to the
applicant authorizing the applicant to engage in the licensed
activities in this state for a term of one (1) year. If these
requirements have not been met, the commissioner shall deny the
application in writing setting forth the reasons for the denial.
(b) The commissioner shall approve or deny every
application for an original license within one hundred twenty
(120) days from the date a complete application is submitted,
provided the time period may be extended with written consent of
the applicant. The commissioner shall notify the applicant of
the date when the application is deemed complete. In the absence
of approval or denial of the application within time period
allowed or consented to, the application is deemed approved and
the commissioner shall issue the license effective as of the
first day after the one hundred twenty (120) day or extended
period has elapsed.
(c) Any applicant aggrieved by a denial issued by the
commissioner under this section may at any time within thirty
(30) days from the date of receipt of written notice of the
denial request a hearing before the commissioner.
40-22-111.
Renewal of license and annual report.
(a) Each license issued under this act shall expire on
December 31. The license shall be renewed annually not later
than December 1. Each licensee shall pay an annual renewal fee
not to exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000.00), plus not more
than one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each authorized delegate
and subdelegate not to exceed seven thousand dollars
($7,000.00), as set by rule of the commissioner.
(b) The renewal fee shall be accompanied by a report, in a
form approved by the commissioner, which shall include:
(i) A copy of the licensee's most recent audited
consolidated annual financial statement including balance sheet,
statement of income or loss, statement of changes in
shareholder's equity and statement of changes in financial
position, or in the case of a licensee that is a wholly owned
subsidiary of another corporation, the consolidated audited
annual financial statement of the parent corporation may be
filed in lieu of the licensee's audited annual financial
statement;
(ii) For the most recent quarter for which data is
available prior to the date of the filing of the renewal
application, but in no event more than one hundred twenty (120)
days prior to the renewal date, the licensee shall provide the
number of payment instruments sold by the licensee in the state,
the dollar amount of those instruments and the dollar amount of
those instruments currently outstanding;
(iii) Any material changes to any of the information
submitted by the licensee on its original application which have
not previously been reported to the commissioner on any other
report required to be filed under this act;
(iv)
investments;
A list of the licensee's permissible
(v) A list of the locations, if any, within this
state at which business regulated by this act is being conducted
by either the licensee or its authorized delegates or its
subdelegates;
(vi) The commissioner is authorized
shown to waive any requirement of this section
any license renewal application or to permit a
applicant to submit substituted information in
renewal application in lieu of the information
section.
for good cause
with respect to
license renewal
its license
required by this
(c) A licensee that has not filed a renewal report or paid
its renewal fee by the renewal filing deadline and has not been
granted an extension of time to do so by the commissioner, shall
have its license suspended on the renewal date. The licensee
has thirty (30) days after its license is suspended in which to
file a renewal report and pay the renewal fee.
40-22-112.
Licensee liability.
A licensee's liability to any person for a money transmission
conducted on that person's behalf by the licensee or an
authorized delegate or a subdelegate shall be limited to the
amount of money transmitted or the face amount of the payment
instrument purchased.
40-22-113.
Extraordinary reporting requirements.
(a) Within fifteen (15) business days of the occurrence of
any one (1) of the events listed in this subsection, a licensee
shall file a written report with the commissioner describing the
event and its expected impact on the licensee's activities in
the state:
(i) Any material changes in information provided in a
licensee's application or renewal report;
(ii)
the licensee;
The filing for bankruptcy or reorganization by
(iii) The institution of revocation or suspension
proceedings against the licensee by any state or governmental
authority with regard to the licensee's money transmission
activities;
(iv) Any felony indictment or conviction of the
licensee or any of its executive officers related to money
transmission activities.
40-22-114.
Changes in control of a licensee.
(a) A licensee shall give the commissioner written notice
of a proposed change of control within fifteen (15) business
days after learning of the proposed change of control.
(b) The commissioner may require the licensee to provide
additional information concerning the proposed persons in
control of the licensee. The additional information shall be
limited to the same types required of the licensee or persons in
control of the licensee as part of its original license or
renewal application.
(c) The licensee shall reapply and submit the required
fees established by rule, not to exceed three thousand dollars
($3,000.00) for a new license upon a change in the control of
the licensee as determined by the commissioner. The license is
not transferable nor assignable to the new persons in control of
the licensee.
(d) The following persons are exempt from the requirements
of subsections (a) through (c) of this section, but the licensee
shall notify the commissioner of a change of control:
(i) A person that acts as a proxy for the sole
purpose of voting at a designated meeting of the security
holders or holders of voting interests of a licensee or person
in control of a licensee;
(ii) A person that acquires control of a licensee by
devise or descent;
(iii) A person that acquires control as a personal
representative, custodian, guardian, conservator, or trustee, or
as an officer appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction or
by operation of law; and
(iv) A person that the commissioner by rule or order
exempts in the public interest.
(e) Subsection (a) of this section does not apply to
public offerings of securities.
(f) Before filing a request for approval to acquire
control, a person may request in writing a determination from
the commissioner as to whether the person would be considered a
person in control of a licensee upon consummation of a proposed
transaction. If the commissioner determines that the person
would not be a person in control of a licensee, the commissioner
shall enter an order to that effect and the proposed person and
transaction is not subject to the requirements of subsections
(a) through (c) of this section.
40-22-115.
Examinations.
(a) The commissioner may conduct examinations of persons
licensed under this act at intervals he deems necessary to
determine whether violations of this act and other applicable
laws, rules and regulations pertaining to money transmissions
are occurring and the frequency and seriousness of the
violations.
(b) Each licensee or person subject to examination or
investigation under this act shall pay to the commissioner an
amount assessed by the commissioner to cover the direct and
indirect cost of examinations or investigations conducted
pursuant to this section.
40-22-116.
Maintenance of records.
(a) Each licensee shall make, keep and preserve the
following books, accounts and other records for a period of five
(5) years and these records shall be open to inspection by the
commissioner:
(i)
A record of each payment instrument;
(ii) A general ledger, posted at least monthly,
containing all assets, liability, capital, income and expense
accounts;
(iii)
Bank statements and bank reconciliation
records;
(iv)
(v)
Outstanding payment instruments;
Records of each payment instrument paid;
(vi) A list of the names and addresses of all
authorized delegates and subdelegates; and
(vii) Any other records the commissioner reasonably
requires by rule.
(b) The records required under this section may be
maintained in photographic, electronic or other similar form.
(c) Records may be maintained at a location other than
within this state so long as they are made accessible to the
commissioner upon seven (7) business days written notice.
40-22-117.
Confidentiality of records; exception.
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section,
all information or reports obtained by the commissioner from an
applicant, licensee or authorized delegate or subdelegate are
confidential.
(b) The commissioner may disclose confidential information
to officials and examiners in other states or to federal
regulatory authorities or to appropriate prosecuting attorneys.
(c) This section does not prohibit the commissioner from
disclosing to the public a list of persons licensed under this
act or the aggregated financial data on those licensees.
40-22-118.
Authorized delegate contracts.
(a) A licensee shall designate an authorized delegate by
express written contract including the following:
(i) That the licensee appoints the person as its
delegate with authority to engage in money transmission on
behalf of the licensee;
(ii) That an authorized delegate may not authorize
subdelegates without the written consent of the commissioner;
and
(iii) That authorized delegates are subject to
supervision and regulation by the commissioner.
40-22-119.
Authorized delegate and subdelegate conduct.
(a) An authorized delegate or subdelegate shall not make
any fraudulent or false statement or misrepresentation to a
licensee or to the commissioner.
(b) All money
authorized delegate
with the licensee's
authorized delegate
transmission activities conducted by an
or subdelegate shall be in strict accord
written procedures provided to the
and subdelegate.
(c) An authorized delegate shall remit all money owing to
the licensee in accordance with the terms of the contract
between the licensee and the authorized delegate.
(d) An authorized delegate and subdelegate are deemed to
consent to the commissioner's inspection with or without prior
notice to the licensee, authorized delegate or subdelegate
pursuant to W.S. 40-22-115.
(e) A subdelegate shall remit all money owing to the
authorized delegate or licensee in accordance with the terms of
the contract between the authorized delegate and the
subdelegate.
(f) An authorized delegate shall not enter into contracts
with subdelegates without the consent of the licensee and the
commissioner.
40-22-120.
License suspension or revocation.
(a) The commissioner may suspend or revoke a licensee's
license if the commissioner finds that:
(i) Any fact or condition exists that, if it had
existed at the time when the licensee applied for its license,
would have been grounds for denying the application;
(ii) The licensee's net worth becomes inadequate and
the licensee after ten (10) business days written notice from
the commissioner, fails to remedy the deficiency;
(iii) The licensee knowingly violates any material
provision of this act or any rule or order validly promulgated
by the commissioner;
(iv) The licensee is conducting its business in an
unsafe or unsound manner;
(v)
The licensee is insolvent;
(vi) The licensee has suspended payment of its
obligations, has made an assignment for the benefit of its
creditors or has admitted in writing its inability to pay its
debts as they become due;
(vii) The licensee has applied for an adjudication of
bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement or other relief under
any bankruptcy;
(viii) The licensee refuses to permit the
commissioner to make any examination authorized by this act;
(ix) The licensee willfully fails to make any report
required by this act;
(x) The competence, experience, character or general
fitness of the licensee indicates that it is not in the public
interest to permit the licensee to continue to conduct business.
40-22-121.
delegates.
Suspension or revocation of authorized
(a) The commissioner may issue an order to the licensee
suspending or revoking the designation of an authorized delegate
or subdelegate if the commissioner finds that:
(i) The authorized delegate or subdelegate violated
this act or a rule adopted or an order issued under this act;
(ii) The authorized delegate or subdelegate has not
cooperated with an examination or investigation by the
commissioner;
(iii) The authorized delegate or subdelegate has
engaged in fraud, intentional misrepresentation or gross
negligence;
(iv) The authorized delegate or subdelegate has been
convicted of a violation of a state or federal money laundering
statute;
(v) The competence, experience, character or general
fitness of the authorized delegate or subdelegate or a person in
control of the authorized delegate or subdelegate indicates that
it is not in the public interest to permit the authorized
delegate or subdelegate to provide money transmission services;
or
(vi) The authorized delegate or subdelegate has
engaged in an unsafe or unsound practice.
(b) In determining whether an authorized delegate or
subdelegate has engaged in an unsafe or unsound practice the
commissioner may consider the size and condition of the
authorized delegate's or subdelegate's provision of money
services, the magnitude of the loss, the gravity of the
violation of this act and the previous conduct of the authorized
delegate or subdelegate.
(c) An authorized delegate or subdelegate may apply for
relief from a suspension or revocation designation as an
authorized delegate or subdelegate according to procedures
prescribed by the commissioner.
40-22-122.
Orders to cease and desist.
(a) If the commissioner determines that a violation of
this act or of a rule adopted or an order issued under this act
by a licensee, authorized delegate or subdelegate is likely to
cause immediate and irreparable harm to the licensee, its
customers or the public as a result of the violation or cause
insolvency or significant dissipation of assets of the licensee,
the commissioner may issue an order requiring the licensee,
authorized delegate or subdelegate to cease and desist from the
violation. The order becomes effective upon service upon the
licensee, authorized delegate or subdelegate.
(b) The commissioner may issue an order against a licensee
to cease and desist from providing money transmission services
through an authorized delegate or subdelegate that is the
subject of a separate order pursuant to W.S. 40-22-121 by the
commissioner.
(c) An order to cease and desist remains effective and
enforceable pending the completion of an administrative
proceeding pursuant to Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act.
40-22-123.
Consent orders.
The commissioner may enter into a consent order at any time with
a person to resolve a matter arising under this act. A consent
order shall be signed by the person to whom it is issued or by
the person's authorized representative and shall indicate
agreement with the terms contained in the order. A consent
order may provide that it does not constitute an admission by a
person that this act or a rule adopted or an order issued under
this act has been violated.
40-22-124.
Civil penalties.
The commissioner may impose a civil penalty upon a person who
violates this act or a rule adopted or an order issued under
this act in an amount not to exceed five hundred dollars
($500.00) per day for each day the violation is outstanding,
plus the state's costs and expenses for the investigation and
prosecution of the matter, including reasonable attorney's fees.
40-22-125.
Criminal penalties.
(a) A person who intentionally makes a false statement,
misrepresentation or false certification in a record filed or
required to be maintained under this act or who intentionally
makes a false entry or omits a material entry in the record is
guilty of a felony, punishable for not less than three (3) years
imprisonment or a fine of not less than ten thousand dollars
($10,000.00), or both.
(b) An individual who knowingly engages in any activity
for which a license is required under this act without being
licensed under this act is guilty of a felony punishable for not
less than three (3) years imprisonment or a fine of not less
than ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00), or both.
40-22-126.
Unlicensed persons.
(a) If the commissioner has reason to believe that a
person has violated or is violating W.S. 40-22-103 of this act
the commissioner may issue an order to show cause why an order
to cease and desist should not issue requiring that the person
cease and desist from the violation of W.S. 40-22-103.
(b) In an emergency, the commissioner may petition the
district court for the issuance of a temporary restraining
order.
(c) An order to cease and desist becomes effective upon
service upon the person.
(d) An order to cease and desist remains effective and
enforceable pending the completion of an administrative
proceeding pursuant to W.S. 40-22-127 and 40-22-128.
(e) A person served with an order to cease and desist for
violating W.S. 40-22-103 may petition the district court for a
judicial order setting aside, limiting, or suspending the
enforcement, operation, or effectiveness of the order pending
the completion of an administrative proceeding pursuant to W.S.
40-22-127 and 40-22-128.
(f) The commissioner shall commence a contested case
proceeding within twenty (20) days after issuing an order to
cease and desist.
40-22-127.
Administrative procedures.
All administrative proceedings under this act shall be conducted
in accordance with the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act.
40-22-128.
Hearings.
Except as otherwise provided in W.S. 40-22-111(c) and
40-22-122(c), the commissioner may not suspend or revoke a
license, issue an order to cease and desist, suspend or revoke
the designation of an authorized delegate or subdelegate, or
assess a civil penalty without notice and an opportunity to be
heard. The commissioner shall also hold a hearing when
requested to do so by an applicant whose application for a
license is denied.
40-22-129.
Rulemaking and deposit of fees.
(a) The commissioner shall promulgate all necessary rules
to implement and administer this act.
(b) All application, renewal, examination and licensing
fees, except the amount paid for data processing by the registry
or any other entity designated by the registry, shall be
deposited by the commissioner with the state treasurer into the
financial institutions administration account.
CHAPTER 23
WYOMING RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE PRACTICES ACT
40-23-101.
Short title.
This act may be cited as the "Wyoming Residential Mortgage
Practices Act."
40-23-102.
(a)
Definitions.
As used in this act:
(i) "Borrower" means a person who has applied to a
mortgage lender for a residential mortgage loan or on whose
behalf the mortgage lending and mortgage brokering activities
are conducted;
(ii)
commissioner;
"Commissioner" means the state banking
(iii) "Control" means owning twenty-five percent
(25%) or more of the voting share of the licensee or having the
power to direct the licensee's management or policies;
(iv) "Division" means the division of banking within
the department of audit;
(v) "Licensee" means a company licensed under this
act as a mortgage broker or a mortgage lender;
(vi) "Mortgage broker" means any company, who for
compensation, or in the expectation of compensation, assists a
person in obtaining or applying to obtain a residential mortgage
loan or holds itself out as being able to assist a person in
obtaining or applying to obtain a residential mortgage loan;
(vii) "Mortgage brokerage agreement" means a written
agreement in which a mortgage broker agrees to assist the
borrower in obtaining a residential mortgage loan;
(viii) "Mortgage brokering activities" means for
compensation, either directly or indirectly, assisting or
offering to assist in the preparation of an application for a
residential mortgage loan on behalf of a borrower, or
negotiating or offering to negotiate the terms or conditions of
a residential mortgage loan with any person making residential
mortgage loans;
(ix) "Mortgage lender" means any company, who makes
residential mortgage loans to borrowers or holds itself out as
able to make mortgage loans;
(x) "Mortgage lending activities" means for
compensation, either directly or indirectly, accepting or
offering to accept applications for making residential mortgage
loans;
(xi) "Person" means an individual, sole
proprietorship, partnership, corporation, limited liability
company or other entity, public or private;
(xii) "Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act" means
the act set forth in 12 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq., as amended;
(xiii) "Regulation X" means regulation X as
promulgated by the consumer financial protection bureau and
codified in 12 CFR part 1024 et seq., as amended;
(xiv) "Regulation Z" means regulation Z as
promulgated by the consumer financial protection bureau and
codified in 12 CFR part 1026 et seq., as amended;
(xv) "Residential mortgage loan" means a first
mortgage loan made primarily for personal, family or household
use that is secured by a mortgage, deed of trust or other
equivalent consensual security interest on a dwelling or
residential real estate in Wyoming upon which is constructed or
intended to be constructed a dwelling;
(xvi) "Residential real property" means real property
improved by a one (1) to four (4) family dwelling;
(xvii) "Truth in Lending Act" means the act set forth
in 15 U.S.C. § 1601 et seq., as amended;
(xviii) "Channeling agent" means the third party
licensing system that gathers the application information and
distributes it to Wyoming for review for the approval or denial
decision;
(xix)
"Clerical or support duties" means:
(A) The receipt, collection, distribution and
analysis of information common for the processing or
underwriting of a residential mortgage loan; and
(B) Communicating with a consumer to obtain the
information necessary for the processing or underwriting of a
loan, to the extent that such communication does not include
offering or negotiating loan rates or terms, or counseling
consumers about residential mortgage loan rates or terms.
(xx) "Company" means a sole proprietorship,
partnership, corporation, limited liability company or other
entity, public or private;
(xxi) "Depository institution" means a company as
defined in 12 U.S.C. 1813 of the federal deposit insurance act,
and includes any credit union;
(xxii) "Dwelling" means a residential structure that
contains one (1) to four (4) units, whether or not that
structure is attached to real property. "Dwelling", if it is
used as a residence, includes an individual condominium unit,
cooperative unit, mobile home and trailer;
(xxiii) "Federal banking agency" means the board of
governors of the federal reserve system, the comptroller of the
currency, the director of the office of thrift supervision, the
national credit union administration or the federal deposit
insurance corporation;
(xxiv) "Immediate family member" means a spouse,
child, sibling, parent, grandparent, grandchild, stepparent,
stepchild, stepsibling and any adoptive relationship included in
this paragraph;
(xxv)
"Individual" means a natural person;
(xxvi) "Loan processor or underwriter" means an
individual who performs clerical or support duties as an
employee at the direction of and subject to the supervision and
instruction of a licensee, or an exempt person under W.S.
40-23-105;
(xxvii)
"Mortgage loan originator":
(A) Means an individual who for compensation or
gain or in the expectation of compensation or gain:
(I)
Takes a residential mortgage loan
application; or
(II) Offers or negotiates the terms of a
residential mortgage loan.
(B) Shall not include any individual engaged
solely as a loan processor or underwriter except as otherwise
described in W.S. 40-23-124(d);
(C) Shall not include a person who only performs
real estate brokerage activities and is licensed or registered
in accordance with Wyoming law, unless the person is compensated
by a lender, a mortgage broker or other mortgage loan originator
or by any agent of such lender, mortgage broker or other
mortgage loan originator; and
(D) Shall not include a person solely involved
in extensions of credit relating to timeshare plans.
(xxviii) "Nontraditional mortgage product" means any
mortgage product other than a thirty (30) year fixed rate
mortgage;
(xxix) "Real estate brokerage activity" means any
activity that involves offering or providing real estate
brokerage services to the public, including:
(A) Acting as a real estate agent or real estate
broker for a buyer, seller, lessor or lessee of real property;
(B) Arranging meetings or communicating with any
party interested in the sale, purchase, lease, rental or
exchange of real property;
(C) Negotiating, on behalf of any party, any
portion of a contract relating to the sale, purchase, lease,
rental or exchange of real property, unless the negotiating
relates to the financing of these transactions, which shall then
constitute engaging in the business as a mortgage loan
originator;
(D) Engaging in any activity for which a person
engaged in the activity is required to be registered or licensed
as a real estate agent or real estate broker under any
applicable law; and
(E) Offering to engage in any activity, or act
in any capacity, described in subparagraph (A), (B), (C) or (D)
of this paragraph.
(xxx)
individual who:
"Registered mortgage loan originator" means any
(A) Is registered with, and maintains a unique
identifier through, the registry; and
(B) Meets the definition of mortgage loan
originator and is an employee of:
(I)
A depository institution;
(II)
A subsidiary that is:
(1)
depository institution; and
(2)
Owned and controlled by a
Regulated by a federal banking
agency; or
(III)
credit administration.
An institution regulated by the farm
(xxxi) "Registry" means the nationwide mortgage
licensing system and registry which is a mortgage licensing
system developed and maintained by the conference of state bank
supervisors and the American association of residential mortgage
regulators for the licensing and registration of mortgage
lenders, mortgage brokers and mortgage loan originators;
(xxxii) "Timeshare plan" means as defined in 11
U.S.C. § 101(53D);
(xxxiii) "Unique identifier" means a number or other
identifier assigned by protocols established by the registry;
(xxxiv)
40-23-133.
"This act" means W.S. 40-23-101 through
40-23-103.
Powers and duties of commissioner.
(a) In addition to any other powers and duties imposed
upon the commissioner by law, the commissioner shall:
(i) Perform any and all acts necessary to promulgate,
administer and enforce the provisions of this act and any rules,
regulations, orders, limitations, standards, requirements or
licenses issued under this act, and to exercise all incidental
powers as necessary to carry out the purposes of this act;
(ii) Order any mortgage broker, mortgage lender or
mortgage loan originator to cease any activity or practice which
the commissioner deems to be deceptive, dishonest, a violation
of state or federal laws or regulations or unduly harmful to the
interests of the public;
(iii) Conduct investigations, issue subpoenas, and
hold hearings as necessary to determine whether a person has
violated any provision of this act;
(iv) Conduct examinations of the books and records of
licensees and conduct investigations as necessary and proper for
the enforcement of the provisions of this act and the rules
promulgated under the authority of this act;
(v) Issue orders that are necessary to execute,
enforce and effectuate the purposes of this act;
(vi) Require that all application, renewal,
licensing, examination and all other fees included under this
act, except the amount paid for data processing by a nationwide
mortgage licensing system and database, shall be deposited by
the commissioner with the state treasurer into the financial
institutions administration account within the earmarked revenue
fund;
(vii) Require the mortgage broker to reimburse the
borrower for undisclosed or incorrectly disclosed fees pursuant
to W.S. 40-23-114(d) and require the mortgage lender to
reimburse the borrower for undisclosed or incorrectly disclosed
fees pursuant to W.S. 40-23-113(e);
(viii) Require a background investigation including
fingerprint checks for state and national criminal history
record checks as necessary. The commissioner may utilize
background checks completed by the division of criminal
investigation, other government agencies in this state or in
other states, the federal bureau of investigation or a
nationwide mortgage licensing system;
(ix) Determine the content of application forms and
the means by which an applicant applies for, renews or makes
changes to a license under this act. The commissioner may
require applicants to utilize a nationwide mortgage licensing
system and database for the processing of applications and fees.
40-23-104.
License requirements.
(a) With the
W.S. 40-23-105, on
engage in mortgage
activities without
this act.
exception of those persons exempt pursuant to
and after July 1, 2005, no company shall
lending activities or mortgage brokering
first obtaining a license in accordance with
(b) A company engaged in mortgage lending or mortgage
brokering activities with any dwelling located in Wyoming shall
first obtain a license in accordance with this act.
40-23-105.
(a)
Exemptions from license requirements.
The provisions of this act do not apply to:
(i) Agencies of the United States and agencies of
this state and its political subdivisions;
(ii) An owner of real property who offers credit
secured by a contract of sale, mortgage or deed of trust on the
property sold;
(iii) Any person licensed or chartered under the laws
of any state or the United States as a bank, savings and loan
association, credit union, or trust company or an operating
subsidiary of which the person owns or controls eighty percent
(80%) or more of the voting stock;
(iv) An attorney licensed to practice law in Wyoming
who is not principally engaged in the business of negotiating
residential mortgage loans when the attorney renders services in
the course of his practice as an attorney;
(v)
Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 184, § 3.
(vi) Any person who purchases or otherwise obtains a
residential mortgage loan which has been originated, processed
and closed with the borrower by a licensee or by an exempt
person, who does not directly or indirectly solicit borrowers in
Wyoming for the purpose of making residential mortgage loans,
and who does not participate in the negotiation of residential
mortgage loans with the borrower. For the purpose of this
paragraph, "negotiation of residential mortgage loans" does not
include setting the terms under which a person may buy or fund a
residential mortgage loan originated by a licensee or exempt
person after the residential mortgage loan has closed.
40-23-106.
Initial licensing and compliance.
A person conducting mortgage lending or mortgage brokering
activities, as of July 1, 2005 shall, not later than September
30, 2005, apply to the commissioner for a license.
40-23-107. Application for license to do business as a
mortgage lender or mortgage broker.
(a) The commissioner shall receive and act on all
applications for licenses to do business as a mortgage lender or
mortgage broker. Applications shall be filed in the manner
prescribed by the commissioner, shall contain such information
as prescribed by the commissioner, shall be updated as
prescribed by the commissioner to keep the information current,
and shall be accompanied by an application fee not to exceed one
thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for the home office location and an
amount not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each
additional location, as set by rule of the commissioner. When
an application for licensure is denied or withdrawn, the
commissioner shall retain all fees paid by the applicant.
(b) An application for license may be granted if the
commissioner finds:
(i) The financial responsibility and experience,
character and fitness of the license applicant, of the owners or
persons in charge of the applicant and individuals designated in
charge of the applicant's places of business, are such as to
warrant belief that the business will be operated honestly and
fairly within the purposes of this act;
(ii) The applicant has not been convicted of, pled
guilty or nolo contendere to, a felony in a domestic, foreign or
military court during the seven (7) year period preceding the
date of the application for licensing, or at any time preceding
such date of application if such felony involved an act of
fraud, dishonesty, breach of trust or money laundering;
(iii) The applicant has not been the subject of any
administrative action or enforcement proceeding by any state or
federal government agency involving the revocation of any
license or authority substantially equivalent to a license under
this act;
(iv) The applicant has not filed an application for a
license which is false or misleading with respect to any
material fact;
(v)
Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 76, § 2.
(vi) The applicant has provided information on the
application as required by the commissioner pursuant to
subsection (a) of this section; and
(vii) The applicant has not been convicted of, pled
guilty or nolo contendere to a misdemeanor in a domestic,
foreign or military court involving an act of fraud, dishonesty,
breach of trust or money laundering.
(c) The commissioner is empowered to conduct
investigations as deemed necessary to determine the existence of
the requirements in subsection (b) of this section.
(d) Upon written request, an applicant is entitled to a
hearing on the question of his qualifications for a license if:
(i) The commissioner has notified the applicant in
writing that his application has been denied, or objections to
the application have been filed with the commissioner;
(ii) The commissioner has not issued a license within
sixty (60) days after a complete application for the license was
filed.
(e) If a hearing is held, the applicant and those filing
objections shall reimburse, pro rata, the commissioner for his
reasonable and necessary expenses incurred as a result of the
hearing. Notwithstanding any provision under the Wyoming
Administrative Procedure Act, a request for hearing shall not be
made more than fifteen (15) days after the applicant has
received notification by certified mail that the application has
been denied and stating in substance the commissioner’s finding
supporting denial of the application or that objections have
been filed and the substance thereof.
(f) Every licensee shall license and maintain a home
office as a principal location for the transaction of mortgage
business. A separate license shall be required for each place
of business from which mortgage brokering activities or mortgage
lending activities are directly or indirectly conducted. The
commissioner may issue additional licenses to the same applicant
upon compliance with all the provisions of this act governing
the issuance of a single license. Each license shall remain in
full force and effect unless the licensee does not satisfy the
renewal requirements of W.S. 40-23-109, or the license is
relinquished, suspended or revoked. Licenses shall be
terminated upon the relinquishment or revocation of a home
office license.
(g) No licensee shall change the location of any place of
business, consolidate two (2) or more locations, open a new
location or close any location, without giving the commissioner
prior written notice and paying a license modification fee not
to exceed one hundred dollars ($100.00) as set by rule of the
commissioner.
(h) A licensee shall not engage in the business of making
or brokering residential mortgage loans at any place of business
for which he does not hold a license nor shall he engage in
business under any other name than that on the license without
the approval of the commissioner.
(j) The commissioner may suspend action upon a license
application pending resolution of any criminal charges, before
any court of competent jurisdiction, against an applicant which
would disqualify that applicant if convicted.
(k) An applicant shall make complete disclosure of all
information required in the application, including information
concerning officers, directors, partners, members, managers or
employees.
40-23-108.
Change in control of a licensee.
(a) A licensee shall give the commissioner written notice
of a proposed change of control of a licensee within fifteen
(15) business days after learning of the proposed change of
control.
(b) The commissioner may require the licensee to provide
additional information concerning the proposed persons in
control of the licensee. The additional information shall be
limited to the same information required of the licensee or
persons in control of the licensee as part of its original
license or renewal application.
(c) The licensee shall reapply and submit the required
fees established by rule, not to exceed one thousand dollars
($1,000.00) for a home office location and an amount not to
exceed one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each additional
location upon a change in the control of the licensee as
determined by the commissioner. The license is not transferable
nor assignable to the new persons in control of the licensee.
(d) Before filing a request for approval to acquire
control, a person may request in writing a determination from
the commissioner as to whether the person would be considered a
person in control of a licensee upon consummation of a proposed
transaction. If the commissioner determines that the person
would not be a person in control of a licensee, the commissioner
shall enter an order stating the proposed person and transaction
is not subject to the requirements of subsections (a) through
(c) of this section.
40-23-109.
License renewal and annual report.
(a) Each mortgage broker and mortgage lender license
issued under this act shall expire on December 31. The license
shall be renewed annually not less than thirty (30) days before
the stated expiration date. The renewal fee for each license
shall not exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for the home
office location and an amount not to exceed one hundred dollars
($100.00) for each additional location, as set by rule of the
commissioner.
(b) The renewal fee shall be accompanied by a report, in a
form prescribed by the commissioner, which shall include:
(i) Any material changes to any of the information
submitted by the licensee on its original application which have
not been reported previously to the commissioner on any other
report required to be filed under this act;
(ii)
Any update necessary on the surety bond;
(iii) Any update on civil or criminal proceedings
against the licensee or any administrative or enforcement
proceedings by any state or federal government agency involving
fines, penalties or the revocation or suspension of any business
licensee or authority substantially equivalent to a license
under this act;
(iv) Any other information as the commissioner may
deem necessary.
40-23-110.
Surety bonds.
(a) All licensees shall maintain a surety bond to the
state of Wyoming in accordance with this section. The surety
bond shall be used to cover individual loan originators employed
or under contract with a licensee. The bond to be maintained
shall be in the amount:
(i) Until December 31, 2009, of twenty-five thousand
dollars ($25,000.00). This amount shall be increased by an
additional sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) for each
licensed office;
(ii) Effective January 1, 2010, as established by
rule of the commissioner based upon the volume of business
activity transacted by the licensee under this act.
(b) The surety bond shall be a continuing obligation of
the issuing surety. The surety's liability under the bond for
any claims made under the bond either individually or in the
aggregate shall in no event exceed the face amount of the bond
issued. The bond shall be issued by a surety authorized to do
business in the state of Wyoming. The bond, including any and
all riders and endorsements executed subsequent to the effective
date of the bond, shall be placed on file with the commissioner.
(c) In the event that a licensee or person employed by or
under contract with a licensee has violated any of the
provisions of this act or of a rule or order lawfully made
pursuant to this act, or federal law or regulation pertaining to
the mortgage lending or mortgage brokering, and has damaged any
person by such violation, then the bond shall be forfeited and
paid by the surety to the state of Wyoming for the benefit of
any person so damaged, in an amount sufficient to satisfy the
violation or the bond in its entirety if the violation exceeds
the amount of the bond.
(d) Surety bonds shall remain effective continuously until
released in writing by the commissioner. If a bond has not been
previously released by the commissioner, the bond shall expire
two (2) years after the date of the surrender, revocation or
expiration of the license.
40-23-111.
Examinations and investigations.
(a) The commissioner may conduct examinations of any
licensee under this act at intervals he deems necessary to
determine compliance with this act and other applicable laws,
rules and regulations.
(b) The commissioner may at any time investigate the loans
or business books and records of any licensee or person engaged
in mortgage lending or mortgage brokering activities for the
purpose of determining compliance with this act or securing
information required under this act. For these purposes, the
commissioner shall have free and reasonable access to the
offices, places of business, books and records of the licensee.
(c) If a licensee's or person's records are located
outside this state, the licensee or person shall have the option
to make them available to the commissioner at a convenient
location within this state, or pay the reasonable and necessary
expenses for the commissioner or his representative to examine
them at the place where they are maintained. The commissioner
may designate representatives, including comparable officials of
the state in which the records are located, to inspect them on
his behalf.
(d) Each licensee or person subject to examination or
investigation under this act shall pay to the commissioner an
amount assessed by the commissioner to cover the direct and
indirect cost of examinations or investigations conducted
pursuant to this section not to exceed one hundred dollars
($100.00) per hour.
40-23-112.
Records; confidentiality of records; exception.
(a) Every licensee shall maintain records in conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles in a manner that
will enable the commissioner to determine whether the licensee
is complying with the provisions of this act. The recordkeeping
system of a licensee shall be sufficient if he makes the
required information available. The records need not be kept in
the place of business where residential mortgage loans are made,
if the commissioner is given free access to the records wherever
located. The records pertaining to any loan shall be retained
for the period of twenty-five (25) months from the date of loan
closing.
(b) Except as provided in subsections (c) through (f) of
this section, all information or reports obtained by the
commissioner from an applicant or licensee are confidential.
(c) The commissioner may disclose confidential information
to mortgage lending or mortgage brokering supervisory agencies
in other states or to federal regulatory authorities or to
appropriate prosecuting attorneys.
(d) The commissioner may enter into cooperative,
coordinating or information sharing agreements with any other
supervisory agency or any organization affiliated with or
representing one (1) or more mortgage lending or mortgage
brokering supervisory agencies with respect to the periodic
examination or other supervision of any office in Wyoming of an
out-of-state licensee, and the commissioner may accept such
parties’ reports of examination and reports of investigation in
lieu of conducting his own examinations or investigations.
(e) The commissioner may enter into contracts with any
mortgage lending or mortgage brokering supervisory agency having
concurrent jurisdiction over a Wyoming licensee pursuant to this
act to engage the services of the agency’s examiners at a
reasonable rate of compensation. Any such contract shall not be
subject to the provisions of W.S. 9-2-1016(b).
(f) Except as provided in P.L. 110-289, section 1512, the
requirements under any federal law or state law regarding the
privacy or confidentiality of any information or material
provided to the registry, and any privilege arising under
federal or state law, including the rules of any federal or
state court, with respect to such information or material, shall
continue to apply to such information or material after the
information or material has been disclosed to the registry.
Such information and any other confidential material obtained by
the commissioner may be shared with all state and federal
regulatory officials with mortgage industry oversight authority
without the loss of privilege or the loss of confidentiality
protections provided by federal law or any state law.
(g) Information or material that is subject to a privilege
or confidentiality under subsection (f) of this section shall
not be subject to:
(i) Disclosure under any federal or state law
governing the disclosure to the public of information held by an
officer or agency of the federal government or the respective
state; or
(ii) Subpoena, discovery or admission into evidence,
in any private civil action or administrative process, unless
with respect to any privilege held by the registry with respect
to such information or material, the person to whom such
information or material pertains waives that privilege, in whole
or in part.
(h) Any Wyoming law relating to the disclosure of
confidential supervisory information or any information or
material described in subsection (f) of this section that is
inconsistent with subsection (f) of this section shall be
superceded by the requirements of this section.
(j) This section shall not apply with respect to the
information or material relating to the employment history of,
and publicly adjudicated disciplinary and enforcement actions
against, any mortgage loan originator that is included in the
registry for access by the public.
(k) This section does not prohibit the commissioner from
disclosing to the public a list of persons licensed under this
act.
40-23-113.
Disclosure of mortgage lender fees.
(a) Within three (3) working days of taking a mortgage
loan application and prior to receiving any consideration, other
than third party fees, from the borrower, the mortgage lender
shall:
(i) Disclose the terms of the loan to the borrower in
compliance with the disclosure requirements of the federal
Truth-in-Lending Act, its associated regulations, and the
federal Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act and its associated
regulations and any other applicable federal and state
requirements;
(ii) If a prepayment penalty may be a condition of
the residential mortgage loan offered to a borrower, that fact
shall be separately disclosed in writing to the borrower and the
borrower shall agree in writing to accept that condition. The
disclosure shall state that a prepayment penalty provision
imposes a charge if the borrower refinances or pays off the
mortgage loan before the date for repayment stated in the loan
agreement. The written disclosure shall be in a form prescribed
by the commissioner and shall initially be delivered along with
the good faith estimate of settlement costs within three (3)
business days after accepting an application from the borrower.
The disclosure shall subsequently be provided by the lender and
signed by the borrower at the same time the borrower is given
the final federal Truth-in-Lending Act disclosure.
(b) With the exception of a loan cancellation fee, a
licensed mortgage lender shall not require a borrower to pay any
fees or charges prior to a residential mortgage loan closing,
except:
(i) Charges actually incurred by the licensee on
behalf of the borrower for services which have been rendered by
third parties necessary to process the application. These fees
may include, but are not limited to, fees for credit reports,
flood insurance certifications, property inspections, title
insurance commitments, uniform commercial code article 4 lien
searches, and appraisals;
(ii)
A rate lock in fee; and
(iii) A commitment fee upon approval of the
residential mortgage loan.
(c) A loan cancellation fee may be charged and collected
by a licensee at any time either prior to the scheduled closing
of a residential mortgage loan transaction or subsequent
thereto.
(d) Any fees charged under the authority of this section
shall be reasonable and customary as to the type and the amount
of the fee charged.
(e) A mortgage lender shall not receive any fee that
inures to the benefit of the mortgage lender, either directly or
indirectly, if the fee exceeds the fee disclosed on the most
recent good faith estimate unless:
(i) The need to charge the higher fee was not
reasonably foreseeable at the time the good faith estimate was
written; and
(ii) The mortgage lender has provided to the
borrower, no less than three (3) business days prior to the
signing of the mortgage loan closing documents, a new good faith
estimate of settlement costs, a clear written explanation of the
increase in the fee and the reason for charging a fee that
exceeds the fee which was previously disclosed.
(f) If the fee was originally disclosed as a percentage of
the mortgage loan amount and the dollar amount of the fee
increases because the mortgage loan amount increases, but the
fee as a percentage of the mortgage loan amount does not change,
then no redisclosure shall be required unless the fee increased
by more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00).
40-23-114.
Disclosure of mortgage broker fees.
(a) Within three (3) business days of a borrower signing a
completed mortgage loan application and before the borrower
provides any consideration to the licensee, the licensee shall
execute and deliver to the borrower a mortgage brokerage
agreement. The mortgage brokerage agreement shall be in
writing, signed and dated by both the borrower and the
authorized representative of the licensed mortgage broker whose
services to the borrower constitute mortgage brokering and shall
contain the following information:
(i) That the mortgage broker cannot make mortgage
loans or issue loan commitments in the mortgage broker's name;
(ii) That the mortgage broker cannot guarantee
acceptance into any particular mortgage loan program or promise
any specific mortgage loan terms or conditions;
(iii) A good faith estimate of the fees to be
collected, including a credit report fee, property appraisal fee
or any other third party fee;
(iv) The terms and conditions for obtaining a refund
of any fees or arranging for the transfer of third party service
work products to another mortgage lender or mortgage broker, if
any. The amount of any fees collected in excess of the actual
cost shall be returned within sixty (60) days after rejection,
withdrawal of an application or closing of the loan.
(b) The mortgage brokerage agreement shall be the only
agreement between the borrower and licensee with respect to a
single mortgage loan transaction, except that the licensed
mortgage broker shall also provide to the borrower disclosure
statements necessary to comply with the federal Truth-in-Lending
Act and its associated regulations, the federal Real Estate
Settlement Procedures Act and its associated regulations, and
any other applicable federal and state requirements.
(c) A licensed mortgage broker shall not require a
borrower to pay any fees or charges prior to the mortgage loan
closing, except charges actually incurred by the licensed
mortgage broker on behalf of the borrower for services from
third parties necessary to process the mortgage loan
application, such as credit reports and appraisals.
(d) A mortgage broker shall not receive any fee that
inures to the benefit of the mortgage broker, either directly or
indirectly if it exceeds the fee disclosed on the most recent
good faith estimate unless:
(i) The need to charge the higher fee was not
reasonably foreseeable at the time the good faith estimate was
written; and
(ii) The mortgage broker has provided to the
borrower, no less than three (3) business days prior to the
signing of the mortgage loan closing documents, a new good faith
estimate of settlement costs, a clear written explanation of the
increase in the fee and the reason for charging a fee that
exceeds that which was previously disclosed.
(e) If the fee was originally disclosed as a percentage of
the mortgage loan amount, and the dollar amount of the fee
increases because the mortgage loan amount increases, but the
fee as a percentage of the mortgage loan amount does not change,
then no redisclosure shall be required unless the fee increased
by more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00).
(f) Any fees charged under the authority of this section
shall be reasonable and customary as to the type and the amount
of the fee charged.
40-23-115. Loan commitments; prepayment penalty disclosure
by mortgage broker.
(a) A mortgage broker may issue a loan commitment and may
furnish a lock-in of the interest rate and program on behalf of
the mortgage lender when the mortgage broker has obtained a
written or electronically transmitted loan commitment or lock-in
for the mortgage loan from the mortgage lender on behalf of the
borrower. The loan commitment issued by the mortgage broker to
the borrower on behalf of the mortgage lender shall be in the
same form and substance as issued by the mortgage lender and
shall identify the mortgage lender by name.
(i)
Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 76, § 2.
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 76, § 2.
Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 76, § 2.
Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 76, § 2.
(b) If a prepayment penalty is a condition of the
residential mortgage loan offered to a borrower, that fact shall
be separately disclosed in writing to the borrower and the
borrower shall agree in writing to accept that condition. The
disclosure shall state that a prepayment penalty provision
imposes a charge if the borrower refinances or pays off the
mortgage loan before the date for repayment stated in the loan
agreement. The written disclosure shall be in a form prescribed
by the commissioner and shall be delivered as soon as the
condition is known, but no later than the issuance of a
commitment, for the mortgage loan product chosen by the
borrower.
40-23-116.
Trust accounts.
All monies received from a borrower for payment of third party
provider services shall be deemed as held in trust immediately
upon receipt. All such trust funds shall be deposited, prior to
the end of the third business day following receipt of the
funds, in a trust account of a federally insured financial
institution. All trust account funds collected under this act
shall remain on deposit in a noninterest bearing trust account
until disbursement. The trust account shall be designated and
maintained for the benefit of borrowers. Monies maintained in
the trust account shall be exempt from execution, attachment or
garnishment. A mortgage lender or mortgage broker shall not in
any way encumber the corpus of the trust account or commingle
any other operating funds with trust account funds. Withdrawals
from the trust account shall be only for the payment of bona
fide services rendered by a third party provider or for refunds
to a borrower.
40-23-117.
(a)
shall:
Prohibited practices.
No licensee or person required to have a license
(i) Pay compensation to, contract with or employ in
any manner, any person engaged in mortgage lending or brokering
activities who is not properly licensed unless such person is
exempt under W.S. 40-23-105;
(ii) Obtain any exclusive dealing or exclusive agency
agreement from any borrower;
(iii) Delay closing of any residential mortgage loan
for the purpose of increasing interest, costs, fees or charges
payable by the borrower;
(iv) Accept any fees at closing which were not
previously disclosed fully to the borrower;
(v) Obtain any agreement or instrument in which
blanks are left to be filled in after execution;
(vi) Engage in any misrepresentation in connection
with a residential mortgage loan;
(vii) Directly or indirectly make any statement
regarding value, except that a copy of the sales contract for
purchase transactions may be provided, or make or provide
payment of any kind to any in-house or fee appraiser for the
purpose of influencing the independent judgment of the appraiser
with respect to the value of any real estate which is to be
covered by a residential mortgage loan;
(viii) Make any false promises likely to influence or
persuade, or pursue a course of misrepresentations and false
promises through agents, solicitors, advertising or otherwise;
(ix) Misrepresent, circumvent or conceal any of the
material particulars or the nature thereof, regarding a
transaction to which it is a party;
(x) Enter into any agreement, with or without the
payment of a fee, to fix in advance a particular interest rate
or other term in a residential mortgage loan unless written
confirmation of the agreement is delivered to the borrower.
40-23-118.
License suspension or revocation.
(a) The commissioner may suspend, not to exceed six (6)
months, or revoke a license if the commissioner finds:
(i) Any fact or condition exists that, if it had
existed at the time when the licensee applied for its license,
would have been grounds for denying the application;
(ii) The licensee violated any provision of this act
or any rule or order validly promulgated by the commissioner;
(iii) The licensee is conducting its business in an
unsafe or unsound manner;
(iv) The licensee refuses to permit the commissioner
to make any examination authorized by this act;
(v) The licensee willfully fails to make any report
required by this act;
(vi) The competence, experience, character or general
fitness of the licensee indicates that it is not in the public
interest to permit the licensee to continue to conduct business;
(vii) The bond of the licensee has been revoked,
cancelled, expired or otherwise is not effective;
(viii) The licensee or any partner, officer,
director, manager or employee of the licensee has been convicted
of a felony or misdemeanor involving any aspect of the mortgage
lending business, breach of trust, or fraudulent or dishonest
dealing;
(ix) The licensee or any partner, officer, director,
manager or employee of the licensee has had a license
substantially equivalent to a license under this act, and issued
by another state, denied, revoked or suspended under the laws of
that state;
(x) The licensee has filed an application for a
license which as of the date the license was issued, or as of
the date of an order denying, suspending or revoking a license,
was incomplete in any material respect or contained any
statement that was, in light of the circumstances under which it
was made, false or misleading with respect to any material fact.
(b) Notwithstanding any provision of the Wyoming
Administrative Procedure Act, if the commissioner finds that
probable cause for revocation of a license exists and that
enforcement of this act and the public interest require
immediate suspension of the license pending investigation, he
may, after a hearing upon five (5) days written notice, enter an
order suspending the license for not more than thirty (30) days.
(c) The commissioner may, in his discretion, reinstate a
license, terminate a suspension or grant a new license to a
person whose license has been revoked or suspended if no fact or
condition then exists which clearly would justify the
commissioner in refusing to grant a license.
(d) For purposes of this section, "licensee" shall also
mean a licensed mortgage loan originator pursuant to W.S.
40-23-124.
40-23-119.
Orders to cease and desist.
(a) If the commissioner determines that a violation of
this act or of a rule adopted or an order issued under this act
by a licensee is likely to cause immediate and irreparable harm
to the licensee, its customers or the public as a result of the
violation or cause insolvency of the licensee, the commissioner
may issue an order requiring the licensee to cease and desist
from the violation. The order becomes effective upon service
upon the licensee.
(b) If the commissioner determines that a person is
conducting mortgage lending or mortgage brokering activities
governed under this act without a valid license, the
commissioner may issue an order requiring the unlicensed person
to cease and desist from mortgage lending or mortgage brokering
activities. The order becomes effective upon service upon the
unlicensed person.
(c) Before issuing a final cease and desist order under
subsections (a) and (b) of this section, the commissioner shall
serve notice of intent to issue the order upon the person being
ordered to cease and desist. The notice shall be in writing and
shall direct the person to discontinue the violations of law and
cease and desist mortgage lending or mortgage brokering
activities. The notice shall be served by certified mail return
receipt requested to the last known address of the person or
shall be served as provided by the Wyoming Rules of Civil
Procedure. Notice of the order shall include:
(i) A statement of the grounds for issuing the
proposed order, including a citation to the statute or rule
involved;
(ii)
allegations;
A statement of the facts in support of the
(iii) A statement informing the person of the right
to a hearing on the order.
(d) In an emergency, the commissioner may petition the
district court for the issuance of a temporary restraining
order.
(e) An order to cease and desist becomes effective upon
service upon the person.
(f) An order to cease and desist remains effective and
enforceable pending the completion of an administrative
proceeding pursuant to the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act.
(g) A person served with an order to cease and desist for
violating this act may petition the district court for a
judicial order setting aside, limiting or suspending the
enforcement, operation or effectiveness of the order pending the
completion of an administrative proceeding pursuant to the
Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act.
(h) The commissioner shall commence a contested case
proceeding within twenty (20) days after issuing an order to
cease and desist.
40-23-120.
Consent orders.
The commissioner may enter into a consent order at any time with
a person to resolve a matter arising under this act. A consent
order shall be signed by the person to whom it is issued or by
the person's authorized representative and shall indicate
agreement with the terms contained in the order. A consent
order may provide that it does not constitute an admission by a
person that this act or a rule adopted or an order issued under
this act has been violated.
40-23-121.
Civil penalties.
The commissioner may impose a civil penalty upon a person who
violates this act or a rule adopted or an order issued under
this act in an amount not to exceed five hundred dollars
($500.00) per day for each day the violation is outstanding,
plus the state's costs and expenses for the investigation and
prosecution of the matter, including reasonable attorney's fees.
Any penalties collected pursuant to this section shall be
deposited in the public school fund of the appropriate county as
required by article 7, section 5 of the Wyoming constitution.
40-23-122.
Criminal penalties.
(a) A person who intentionally makes a false statement,
misrepresentation or false certification in a record filed or
required to be maintained under this act or who intentionally
makes a false entry or omits a material entry in the record is
guilty of a felony, punishable by not less than three (3) years
imprisonment or a fine of not less than ten thousand dollars
($10,000.00), or both.
(b) An individual who knowingly engages in any activity
for which a license is required under this act, without being
licensed under this act is guilty of a felony punishable by not
less than three (3) years imprisonment or a fine of not less
than ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00), or both.
(c) A person, except an individual, who knowingly engages
in any activity for which a license is required under this act,
without being licensed under this act is guilty of a misdemeanor
punishable by a fine of not less than twenty-five thousand
dollars ($25,000.00).
40-23-123.
Hearings.
Except as otherwise provided in W.S. 40-23-103(a)(vii),
40-23-108(c) and 40-23-109, the commissioner shall not suspend
or revoke a license, issue an order to cease and desist or
assess a civil penalty without notice and an opportunity to be
heard.
40-23-124.
rulemaking.
Loan originator licensing; registration;
(a) An individual, unless specifically exempted under
subsection (c) of this section, shall not engage in the business
of a mortgage loan originator for any dwelling located in
Wyoming without first obtaining and maintaining annually a
license in accordance with this act. Each licensed mortgage
loan originator shall register with and maintain a valid unique
identifier issued by the registry.
(b) In order to facilitate an orderly transition to
licensing and minimize disruption in the marketplace, the
effective date for subsection (a) of this section shall be July
1, 2010.
(c) An individual is exempt from subsection (a) of this
section if he is:
(i) A registered mortgage loan originator, when
acting for an entity described in W.S. 40-23-102(a)(xxx)(B)(I),
(II) or (III);
(ii) An individual who offers or negotiates terms of
a residential mortgage loan with or on behalf of an immediate
family member of the individual;
(iii) An individual who offers or negotiates terms of
a residential mortgage loan secured by a dwelling that serves as
the individual's residence;
(iv) A licensed attorney who negotiates the terms of
a residential mortgage loan on behalf of a client as an
ancillary matter to the attorney's representation of the client,
unless the attorney is compensated by a lender, a mortgage
broker or other mortgage loan originator or by any agent of such
lender, mortgage broker or other mortgage loan originator;
(v) An individual engaging solely in loan processor
or underwriter activities, who does not represent to the public,
through advertising or other means of communicating or providing
information including the use of business cards, stationery,
brochures, signs, rate lists or other promotional items, that
the individual can or will perform any of the activities of a
mortgage loan originator.
(d) A loan processor or underwriter who is an independent
contractor may not engage in the activities of a loan processor
or underwriter unless the independent contractor, loan processor
or underwriter obtains and maintains a license pursuant to
subsection (a) of this section. Each independent contractor,
loan processor or underwriter licensed as a mortgage loan
originator shall have and maintain a valid unique identifier
issued by the registry.
(e)
efficient
licensing
licensing
For the purposes of implementing an orderly and
licensing process the commissioner may establish
rules or regulations and interim procedures for
and acceptance of applications.
40-23-125.
Loan originator application; processing.
(a) Applicants for a mortgage loan originator license
shall apply in a form prescribed by the commissioner. Each
application form shall contain content as set forth by rule of
the commissioner and may be changed or updated as necessary by
the commissioner in order to carry out the purposes of this act.
(b) In order to fulfill the purposes of this act, the
commissioner may establish relationships or contracts with the
registry or other entities designated by the registry to collect
and maintain records and process transaction fees or other fees
related to licensees or other persons subject to this act.
(c) In connection with an application for licensing as a
mortgage loan originator, the applicant shall, at a minimum,
furnish to the registry information concerning the applicant's
identity, including:
(i) Fingerprints for submission to the federal bureau
of investigation, and any governmental agency or entity
authorized to receive such information for a state, national and
international criminal history background check; and
(ii) Personal history and experience, including the
submission of authorization for the registry and the
commissioner to obtain:
(A) An independent credit report obtained from a
consumer reporting agency described in section 603(p) of the
Fair Credit Reporting Act; and
(B) Information related to any administrative,
civil or criminal findings by any governmental jurisdiction.
(d) For the purposes of this section and in order to
reduce the points of contact which the federal bureau of
investigation may have to maintain for purposes of paragraph
(c)(i) of this section and subparagraph (c)(ii)(B) of this
section, the commissioner may use the registry as a channeling
agent for requesting information from and distributing
information to the department of justice or any governmental
agency.
(e) For the purposes of this section and in order to
reduce the points of contact which the commissioner may have to
maintain for purposes of subparagraphs (c)(ii)(A) and (B) of
this section, the commissioner may use the registry as a
channeling agent for requesting and distributing information to
and from any source so directed by the commissioner.
(f) Each application submitted under subsection (a) of
this section shall be accompanied by an application fee not to
exceed three hundred dollars ($300.00), as established by rule
of the commissioner. When an application for licensure is
denied or withdrawn, the commissioner shall retain all fees paid
by the applicant.
40-23-126.
Issuance of loan originator license.
(a) The commissioner shall not issue a mortgage loan
originator license unless the commissioner makes at a minimum
the following findings:
(i) The applicant has never had a mortgage loan
originator license revoked in any governmental jurisdiction,
except that a subsequent formal vacation of such revocation
shall not be deemed a revocation;
(ii) The applicant has not been convicted of, or pled
guilty or nolo contendere to, a felony in a domestic, foreign or
military court:
(A) During the seven (7) year period preceding
the date of the application for licensing and registration; or
(B) At any time preceding the date of
application, if the felony involved an act of fraud, dishonesty,
or a breach of trust or money laundering;
(C) A pardon of a conviction shall not be a
conviction for the purposes of this paragraph.
(iii) The applicant has demonstrated financial
responsibility, character and general fitness such as to command
the confidence of the community and to warrant a determination
that the mortgage loan originator will operate honestly, fairly
and efficiently within the purposes of this act;
(iv) The applicant has completed the prelicensing
education requirement pursuant to W.S. 40-23-127;
(v) The applicant has passed a written test that
meets the test requirement of W.S. 40-23-128.
(b) For purposes of paragraph (a)(iii) of this section, a
person has shown that he is not financially responsible when he
has shown a disregard in the management of his own financial
condition. A determination that an individual has not shown
financial responsibility shall include, but not be limited to:
(i) Having any outstanding judgment, except a
judgment solely as a result of medical expenses;
(ii) Having any outstanding tax lien or other
government lien;
(iii)
(3) years;
Having any foreclosure within the past three
(iv) Having a pattern of seriously delinquent
accounts within the past three (3) years.
(c) Upon written request, an applicant is entitled to a
hearing on the question of his qualifications for a license if:
(i) The commissioner has notified the applicant in
writing that his application has been denied, or objections to
the application have been filed with the commissioner;
(ii) The commissioner has not issued a license within
sixty (60) days after a complete application for the license was
filed.
(d) If a hearing is held, the applicant and those filing
objections shall reimburse, pro rata, the commissioner for his
reasonable and necessary expenses incurred as a result of the
hearing. Notwithstanding any provision under the Wyoming
Administrative Procedure Act, a request for hearing shall not be
made more than fifteen (15) days after the applicant has
received notification by certified mail that the application has
been denied and stating in substance the commissioner's finding
supporting denial of the application or that objections have
been filed and the substance thereof.
40-23-127.
originators.
Prelicensing and relicensing education of loan
(a) In order to meet the prelicensing education
requirement referred to in W.S. 40-23-126(a)(iv), a person shall
complete at least twenty (20) hours of education approved in
accordance with subsection (b) of this section, which shall
include at least:
(i) Three (3) hours of federal law and regulations
related to mortgage origination;
(ii) Three (3) hours of ethics, which shall include
instruction on fraud, consumer protection and fair lending
issues; and
(iii) Two (2) hours of training related to lending
standards for the nontraditional mortgage product marketplace.
(b) For purposes of subsection (a) of this section,
prelicensing education courses shall be reviewed and approved by
the registry. The review and approval of a prelicensing
education course shall include review and approval of the course
provider.
(c) Nothing in this section shall preclude any
prelicensing education course, as approved by the registry, that
is provided by the employer of the applicant or an entity which
is affiliated with the applicant by an agency contract, or any
subsidiary or affiliate of such employer or entity.
(d) Prelicensing education may be offered either in a
classroom, online or by any other means approved by the
registry.
(e) The prelicensing education requirements
the registry in paragraphs (a)(i), (ii) and (iii)
section for any state shall be accepted as credit
completion of prelicensing education requirements
approved by
of this
towards
in Wyoming.
(f) An individual licensed under W.S. 40-23-124 after July
1, 2009 and who subsequently applies to be licensed again:
(i)
requirements;
Shall not have to complete prelicensing education
(ii) Shall have completed all the continuing
education requirements pursuant to W.S. 40-23-130.
40-23-128.
Testing of mortgage loan originators.
(a) In order to meet the written test requirement under
W.S. 40-23-126(a)(v), an individual shall pass, in accordance
with the standards established under this section, a qualified
written test developed by the registry and administered by a
test provider approved by the registry.
(b) A written test shall not be treated as a qualified
written test for purposes of subsection (a) of this section
unless the test adequately measures the applicant's knowledge
and comprehension in appropriate subject areas, including:
(i)
Ethics;
(ii) Federal law and regulation pertaining to
mortgage origination;
(iii) Wyoming law and regulation pertaining to
mortgage origination; and
(iv) Federal and Wyoming law and regulation,
including instruction on fraud, consumer protection, the
nontraditional mortgage marketplace and fair lending issues.
(c) Nothing in the section shall prohibit a test provider
from providing a test at the location of the employer of the
applicant, the location of any subsidiary or affiliate of the
employer of the applicant or the location of any entity with
which the applicant holds an exclusive arrangement to conduct
the business of a mortgage loan originator.
(d) An individual shall not be considered to have passed a
qualified written test unless the individual achieves a test
score of not less than seventy-five percent (75%) correct
answers to questions.
(e) An individual may retake a test three (3) times with
each test taking occurring at least thirty (30) days after the
preceding test.
(f) After failing three (3) tests, an individual shall
wait at least six (6) months before taking the test again.
(g) A licensed mortgage loan originator who fails to
maintain a valid license for at least five (5) years shall
retake the written test. Any time the individual spends working
as a registered mortgage loan originator shall not be counted
against this five (5) year period.
40-23-129.
rulemaking.
Standards for loan originator license renewal;
(a) The minimum standards for license renewal for mortgage
loan originators shall include the following:
(i) The mortgage loan originator continues to meet
the minimum standards for license issuance under W.S.
40-23-126(a)(i) through (v);
(ii) The mortgage loan originator has satisfied the
annual continuing education requirements described in W.S.
40-23-130;
(iii) The mortgage loan originator has paid the
license renewal fee not to exceed three hundred dollars
($300.00), as established by rule of the commissioner.
(b) Each mortgage loan originator license shall expire on
December 31. The license shall be renewed annually by
satisfying the minimum standards for license renewal under
subsection (a) of this section not less than thirty (30) days
before the stated expiration date. The commissioner may
establish rules for the reinstatement of expired licenses
consistent with the standards established by the registry.
40-23-130. Continuing education for mortgage loan
originators; rulemaking.
(a) In order to meet the annual continuing education
requirements referred to in W.S. 40-23-129(a)(ii), a licensed
mortgage loan originator shall complete at least eight (8) hours
of education approved in accordance with subsection (b) of this
section, which shall include at least:
(i) Three (3) hours of federal law and regulations
relating to mortgage origination;
(ii) Two (2) hours of ethics, which shall include
instruction on fraud, consumer protection and fair lending
issues; and
(iii) Two (2) hours of training related to lending
standards for the nontraditional mortgage product marketplace.
(b) For purposes of section (a) of this section,
continuing education courses shall be reviewed and approved by
the registry. The review and approval of a continuing education
course shall include review and approval of the course provider.
(c) Nothing in this section shall preclude any education
course, as approved by the registry, that is provided by the
employer of the mortgage loan originator or an entity which is
affiliated with the mortgage loan originator by an agency
contract, or any subsidiary or affiliate of such employer or
entity.
(d) Continuing education may be offered either in a
classroom, online or by any other means approved by the
registry.
(e)
A licensed mortgage loan originator:
(i) Except as provided in W.S. 40-23-129(b), shall
only receive credit for a continuing education course in the
year in which the course is taken; and
(ii) Shall not take the same approved course in the
same or successive years to meet the annual requirements for
continuing education.
(f) A licensed mortgage loan originator who is an
instructor of an approved continuing education course may
receive credit for the licensed mortgage loan originator's own
annual continuing education requirement at the rate of two (2)
hours of credit for every one (1) hour taught.
(g) An individual having successfully completed the
education requirements approved by the registry in paragraphs
(a)(i), (ii) and (iii) of this section for any state shall be
accepted as credit towards completion of continuing education
requirements in Wyoming.
(h) An individual meeting the requirements of W.S.
40-23-129(a)(i) and (iii) may make up any deficiency in
continuing education as established by rule of the commissioner.
(j) An individual licensed under W.S. 40-23-124 after July
1, 2009 and who subsequently applies to be licensed again shall
complete the continuing education requirements for the last year
in which the license was held prior to issuance of a new or
renewed license.
40-23-131.
Mortgage call reports.
Each licensee shall submit to the registry reports of condition,
which shall be in such form and shall contain all information as
required by the registry.
40-23-132.
Report to the registry.
The commissioner shall regularly report violations of this act,
as well as enforcement actions and other relevant information,
to the registry subject to the provisions contained in W.S.
40-23-112. The commissioner shall establish by rule a process
where a mortgage loan originator may challenge information
entered into the registry by the commissioner.
40-23-133.
Unique identifier; rulemaking.
The unique identifier of any person originating a residential
mortgage loan shall be clearly shown on all residential mortgage
loan applications forms, solicitations or advertisements,
including business cards or websites and any other documents as
established by rule of the commissioner.
CHAPTER 24
UNIFORM TRADE SECRETS ACT
40-24-101.
Definitions.
(a) As used in this act, unless the context requires
otherwise:
(i) "Improper means" includes theft, bribery,
misrepresentation, breach or inducement of a breach of duty to
maintain secrecy or espionage through electronic or other means;
(ii)
"Misappropriation" means:
(A) Acquisition of a trade secret of another by
a person who knows or has reason to know that the trade secret
was acquired by improper means; or
(B) Disclosure or use of a trade secret of
another without express or implied consent by a person who:
(I) Used improper means to acquire
knowledge of the trade secret;
(II) Before a material change of his
position, knew or had reason to know that it was a trade secret
and that knowledge of it had been acquired by accident or
mistake; or
(III) At the time of disclosure or use knew
or had reason to know that his knowledge of the trade secret
was:
(1) Derived from or through a person
who has utilized improper means to acquire it;
(2) Acquired under circumstances
giving rise to a duty to maintain its secrecy or limit its use;
or
(3) Derived from or through a person
who owed a duty to the person seeking relief to maintain its
secrecy or limit its use.
(iii) "Person" means a natural person, corporation,
business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, joint
venture, government, governmental subdivision or agency or any
other legal or commercial entity;
(iv) "Trade secret" means information, including a
formula, pattern, compilation, program device, method, technique
or process that:
(A) Derives independent economic value, actual
or potential, from not being generally known to and not being
readily ascertainable by proper means by other persons who can
obtain economic value from its disclosure or use; and
(B) Is the subject of efforts that are
reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy.
(v)
40-24-110.
"This act" means W.S. 40-24-101 through
40-24-102.
Injunctive relief.
(a) Actual or threatened misappropriation may be enjoined.
Upon application to the court an injunction shall be terminated
when the trade secret has ceased to exist, but the injunction
may be continued for an additional reasonable period of time in
order to eliminate commercial advantage that otherwise would be
derived from the misappropriation.
(b) In exceptional circumstances, an injunction may
condition future use upon payment of a reasonable royalty for no
longer than the period of time for which use could have been
prohibited. Exceptional circumstances include, but are not
limited to, a material and prejudicial change of position prior
to acquiring knowledge or reason to know of misappropriation
that renders a prohibitive injunction inequitable.
(c) In appropriate circumstances, affirmative acts to
protect a trade secret may be compelled by court order.
40-24-103.
Damages.
(a) Except to the extent that a material and prejudicial
change of position prior to acquiring knowledge or reason to
know of misappropriation renders a monetary recovery
inequitable, a complainant is entitled to recover damages for
misappropriation. Damages can include both the actual loss
caused by misappropriation and the unjust enrichment caused by
misappropriation that is not taken into account in computing
actual loss. In lieu of damages measured by any other methods,
the damages caused by misappropriation may be measured by
imposition of liability for a reasonable royalty for a
misappropriator's unauthorized disclosure or use of a trade
secret.
(b) If willful and malicious misappropriation exists, the
court may award exemplary damages in the amount not exceeding
twice any award made under subsection (a) of this section.
40-24-104.
Attorney's fees.
(a) A court may award reasonable attorney's fees to the
prevailing party if:
(i)
A claim of misappropriation is made in bad faith;
(ii) A motion to terminate an injunction is made or
resisted in bad faith; or
(iii)
40-24-105.
Willful and malicious misappropriation exists.
Preservation of secrecy.
In any action under this act, a court shall preserve the secrecy
of an alleged trade secret by reasonable means, which may
include granting protective orders in connection with discovery
proceedings, holding in-camera hearings, sealing the records of
the action and ordering any person involved in the litigation
not to disclose an alleged trade secret without prior court
approval.
40-24-106.
Statute of limitations.
An action for misappropriation must be brought within four (4)
years after the misappropriation is discovered or by the
exercise of reasonable diligence should have been discovered.
For the purposes of this section, a continuing misappropriation
constitutes a single claim.
40-24-107.
Effect on other law.
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section,
this act displaces conflicting tort, restitutionary and other
law of this state providing civil remedies for misappropriation
of a trade secret.
(b)
This act does not affect:
(i) Contractual remedies, whether or not based upon
misappropriation of a trade secret;
(ii) Other civil remedies that are not based upon
misappropriation of a trade secret; or
(iii) Criminal remedies, whether or not based upon
misappropriation of a trade secret.
40-24-108.
Uniformity of application and construction.
This act shall be applied and construed to effectuate its
general purpose to make uniform the law with respect to the
subject of this act among states enacting it.
40-24-109.
Short title.
This act may be cited as the Uniform Trade Secrets Act.
40-24-110.
Time of taking effect.
This act does not apply to misappropriation occurring prior to
July 1, 2006. With respect to a continuing misappropriation that
began prior to July 1, 2006, the act does not apply to the
continuing misappropriation that occurs after July 1, 2006.
CHAPTER 25
COMPUTER TRESPASS
40-25-101.
Computer trespass.
(a) A person commits a civil trespass if he, with intent
to damage or cause the malfunction of the operation of a
computer, computer system or computer network, transfers or
sends electronically into a computer, computer system or
computer network of another or causes to be transferred or sent
electronically into a computer, computer system or computer
network of another any data, program or other information which
alters, damages or causes the malfunction of the operation of
the computer, computer system or computer network and the act
was done without authority of the owner or lawful possessor of
the computer, computer system or computer network.
(b) A person who suffers damage or loss by reason of a
trespass under this section shall have a cause of action against
the trespasser for all damages incurred, including any damages
to the person's computer, computer system or computer network
and any costs incurred by the person for services that could not
be utilized as a result of the trespass. In a civil action
brought under this section, in addition to damages, the injured
claimant may be awarded the costs of litigation together with
the reasonably necessary cost of identifying the trespasser, of
obtaining effective service of process on the trespasser and of
successfully effecting collection of the award from the person
who perpetrated the trespass and from the person who caused the
trespass.
(c) The definitions provided in W.S. 6-3-501 shall be
applicable to this section.
(d) Common carriers, internet service providers or other
persons who supply the internet services over which the content
is delivered shall not be liable for damages or losses under
this section resulting from the acts of another.
CHAPTER 26
FAIR HOUSING ACT
40-26-101.
Short title.
This act may be cited as the "Wyoming Fair Housing Act."
40-26-102.
(a)
Definitions.
As used in this act:
(i) "Aggrieved person" includes any person who claims
to have been injured by a discriminatory housing practice or
believes that the person will be injured by a discriminatory
housing practice that is about to occur;
(ii) "Complainant" means a person, including the
enforcing authority that files a complaint under W.S. 40-26-118;
(iii) "Conciliation" means the informal negotiations
among an aggrieved person, the respondent, and the enforcing
authority to resolve issues raised by a complaint or by the
investigation of the complaint;
(iv) "Conciliation agreement" means a written
agreement resolving the issues in conciliation;
(v) "Disability" means a mental or physical
impairment that substantially limits at least one (1) major life
activity, a record of this impairment, or being regarded as
having this impairment. The term does not include current
illegal use or addiction to any drug or illegal or federally
controlled substance and does not apply to an individual because
of an individual's sexual orientation or because that individual
is a transvestite;
(vi) "Discriminatory housing practice" means an act
prohibited by W.S. 40-26-103 through 40-26-109 or conduct that
is an offense under W.S. 40-26-145;
(vii) "Dwelling" means any structure or part of a
structure that is occupied as, or designed or intended for
occupancy as, a residence by one (1) or more families or vacant
land that is offered for sale or lease for the construction or
location of a structure or part of a structure as previously
described. "Dwelling" includes a lot leased for the purpose of
placing on the lot a transportable home as defined in W.S.
31-1-101(a)(xxiv);
(viii) "Enforcing authority" means a Wyoming state
agency or nonprofit incorporated in Wyoming that has been
accepted as an enforcing authority for Wyoming by the department
of housing and urban development;
(ix) "Familial status" means one (1) or more minors
being domiciled with a parent or another person having legal
custody of the minor or minors, or the designee of the parent or
other person having such custody with the written permission of
the parent or other person. The protections afforded against
discrimination on the basis of familial status apply to any
person who is pregnant or is in the process of securing legal
custody of any minor;
(x)
"Family" includes a single individual;
(xi) "Respondent" means a person accused of a
violation of this chapter in a complaint of discriminatory
housing practice or a person identified as an additional or
substitute respondent under W.S. 40-26-121 or an agent of an
additional or substitute respondent;
(xii) "To rent" includes to lease, sublease, or let,
or to grant in any other manner, for a consideration, the right
to occupy premises not owned by the occupant.
40-26-103.
Sale or rental.
(a) A person may not refuse to sell or rent, after the
making of a bona fide offer, refuse to negotiate for the sale or
rental of, or in any other manner make unavailable or deny a
dwelling to an individual because of race, color, religion, sex,
disability, familial status, or national origin.
(b) A person may not discriminate against an individual in
the terms, conditions, or privileges of sale or rental of a
dwelling or in providing services or facilities in connection
with a sale or rental of a dwelling because of race, color,
religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin.
(c) This section does not prohibit discrimination against
an individual because the individual has been convicted under
federal law or the law of any state of the illegal manufacture
or distribution of a controlled substance.
40-26-104.
Publication.
A person may not make, print or publish or effect the making,
printing or publishing of a notice, statement or advertisement
that is about the sale or rental of a dwelling and that
indicates any preference, limitation or discrimination or the
intention to make a preference, limitation or discrimination
because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial
status or national origin.
40-26-105.
Inspection.
A person may not represent to an individual because of race,
color, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national
origin that a dwelling is not available for inspection for sale
or rental when the dwelling is available for inspection.
40-26-106.
Entry into neighborhood.
A person may not, for profit, induce or attempt to induce
another to sell or rent a dwelling by representations regarding
the entry or prospective entry into a neighborhood of an
individual of a particular race, color, religion, sex,
disability, familial status or national origin.
40-26-107.
Disability.
(a) A person may not discriminate in the sale or rental
of, or make unavailable or deny, a dwelling to any buyer or
renter because of a disability of:
(i)
The buyer or renter;
(ii) An individual residing in or intending to reside
in that dwelling after it is sold, rented, or made available; or
(iii)
renter.
Any individual associated with the buyer or
(b) A person may not discriminate against an individual in
the terms, conditions or privileges of sale or rental of a
dwelling or in the provision of services or facilities in
connection with the dwelling because of a disability of:
(i)
That individual;
(ii) An individual residing in or intending to reside
in that dwelling after it is sold, rented, or made available; or
(iii)
(c)
Any individual associated with that individual.
In this section, discrimination includes:
(i) A refusal to permit, at the expense of the
individual having a disability, a reasonable modification of
existing premises occupied or to be occupied by the individual
if the modification may be necessary to afford the individual
full enjoyment of the premises, except that, in the case of a
rental, the landlord may condition, when it is reasonable to do
so, permission for a modification on the renter agreeing to
restore the interior of the premises to the condition that
existed before the modification, reasonable wear and tear
excepted;
(ii) A refusal to make a reasonable accommodation in
rules, policies, practices or services if the accommodation may
be necessary to afford the individual equal opportunity to use
and enjoy a dwelling; or
(iii) The failure to design and construct a covered
multifamily dwelling in a manner that allows the public use and
common use portions of the dwellings to be readily accessible to
and usable by individuals having a disability, that allows all
doors designed to allow passage into and within all premises
within the dwellings to be sufficiently wide to allow passage by
an individual who has a disability and who is in a wheelchair,
and that provides all premises within the dwellings contain the
following features of adaptive design:
(A)
An accessible route into and throughout the
dwelling;
(B) Light switches, electrical outlets,
thermostats, and other environmental controls in accessible
locations;
(C) Reinforcements in bathroom walls to allow
later installation of grab bars; and
(D) Kitchens and bathrooms that are usable and
have sufficient space in which an individual in a wheelchair can
maneuver.
(d) Compliance with the appropriate requirements of the
American national standard for buildings and facilities
providing accessibility and usability for individuals having
physical disabilities, as that standard exists on July 1, 2015,
satisfies the requirements of adaptive design in paragraph
(c)(iii) of this section.
(e) The adaptive design requirements of subparagraph
(c)(iii)(A) of this section do not apply to a building the first
occupancy of which occurred on or before March 13, 1991.
(f) This section does not require a dwelling to be made
available to an individual whose tenancy would constitute a
direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals whose
tenancy would result in substantial physical damage to the
property of others.
(g) Covered multifamily dwellings are buildings consisting
of four (4) or more units if the buildings have one (1) or more
elevators and ground floor units in other buildings consisting
of four (4) or more units.
40-26-108.
Residential real estate related transaction.
A person whose business includes engaging in residential real
estate related transactions may not discriminate against an
individual in making a real estate related transaction available
or in the terms or conditions of a real estate related
transaction because of race, color, religion, sex, disability,
familial status or national origin. A residential real estate
related transaction is the selling, brokering or appraising of
residential real property or the making or purchasing of loans
or the provision of other financial assistance to purchase,
construct, improve, repair, maintain a dwelling, or to secure
residential real estate. Nothing in this section prohibits a
person engaged in the business of furnishing appraisals of real
property to take into consideration factors other than race,
color, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national
origin.
40-26-109.
Brokerage services.
A person may not deny an individual access to, or membership or
participation in, a multiple-listing service, real estate
brokers' organization, or other service, organization or
facility relating to the business of selling or renting
dwellings, or discriminate against an individual in the terms or
conditions of access, membership or participation in the
organization, service or facility because of race, color,
religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin.
40-26-110.
Sales and rentals exempted.
(a) W.S. 40-26-103 through 40-26-109 do not apply to the
sale or rental of a single family house sold or rented by the
owner if the owner does not own more than three (3) single
family houses at any one (1) time or own any interest in, nor is
there owned or reserved on the person's behalf, under any
express or voluntary agreement, title to or any right to any
part of the proceeds from the sale or rental of more than three
(3) single family houses at any one (1) time. In addition, the
house must be sold or rented without the use of the sales or
rental facilities or services of a licensed real estate broker,
agent or of a person in the business of selling or renting
dwellings, or of an employee or agent of any such broker, agent,
or person; or the publication, posting or mailing of a notice,
statement or advertisement prohibited by W.S. 40-26-104. The
exemption provided in this subsection applies only to one (1)
sale or rental in a twenty-four (24) month period, if the owner
was not the most recent resident of the house at the time of the
sale or rental. For the purposes of this subsection, a person
is in the business of selling or renting dwellings if the
person:
(i) Within the preceding twelve (12) months, has
participated as principal in three (3) or more transactions
involving the sale or rental of any dwelling or any interest in
a dwelling; or
(ii) Within the preceding twelve (12) months, has
participated as agent, other than in the sale of the person's
own personal residence, in providing sales or rental facilities
or sales or rental services in two (2) or more transactions
involving the sale or rental of any dwelling or any interest in
a dwelling; or
(iii) Is the owner of any dwelling designed or
intended for occupancy by, or occupied by, five (5) or more
families.
(b) W.S. 40-26-103 and 40-26-105 through 40-26-109 do not
apply to the sale or rental of the rooms or units in a dwelling
containing living quarters occupied by or intended to be
occupied by not more than four (4) families living independently
of each other, if the owner maintains and occupies one (1) of
the living quarters as the owner's residence.
40-26-111. Religious organization, private club, and
appraisal exemption.
(a) This chapter does not prohibit a religious
organization, association or society or a nonprofit institution
or organization operated, supervised or controlled by or in
conjunction with a religious organization, association or
society from limiting the sale, rental or occupancy of dwellings
that it owns or operates for other than a commercial purpose to
individuals of the same religion or giving preference to persons
of the same religion, unless membership in the religion is
restricted because of race, color or national origin.
(b) This chapter does not prohibit a private club that is
not in fact open to the public and that, as an incident to its
primary purpose, provides lodging that it owns or operates for
other than a commercial purpose from limiting the rental or
occupancy of the lodging to its members or from giving
preference to its members, unless membership in the club is
restricted because of race, color or national origin.
(c) This chapter does not prohibit a person engaged in the
business of furnishing appraisals of real property from
considering in those appraisals factors other than race, color,
religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin.
40-26-112.
Housing for elderly exempted.
(a) The provisions of this chapter relating to familial
status and age do not apply to housing that the secretary of
housing and urban development determines is specifically
designed and operated to assist elderly individuals under a
federal program; the enforcing authority determines is
specifically designed and operated to assist elderly individuals
under a state program; is intended for, and solely occupied by,
individuals sixty-two (62) years of age or older; or is intended
and operated for occupancy by at least one (1) individual
fifty-five (55) years of age or older for each unit as
determined by enforcing authority rules. In determining whether
housing qualifies as housing for elderly because it is intended
and operated for occupancy by at least one (1) individual
fifty-five (55) years of age or older for each unit, the
enforcing authority shall adopt rules that require at least the
following factors:
(i) That at least eighty percent (80%) of the units
are occupied by at least one (1) individual fifty-five (55)
years of age or older per unit; and
(ii) The publication of, and adherence to, policies
and procedures which demonstrate an intent by the owner or
manager to provide housing for individuals fifty-five (55) years
of age or older.
(b) Housing may not be considered to be in violation of
the requirements for housing for elderly under this section by
reason of:
(i) Individuals residing in the housing as of July 1,
2015, who do not meet the age requirements of this section,
provided that new occupants of the housing meet the age
requirements; or
(ii) Unoccupied units, provided that the units are
reserved for occupancy by individuals who meet the age
requirements of this section.
40-26-113.
Effect on other law.
(a) This chapter does not affect a reasonable local or
state restriction on the maximum number of occupants permitted
to occupy a dwelling or a restriction relating to health or
safety standards.
(b) This chapter does not affect a requirement of
nondiscrimination in any other state or federal law.
40-26-114.
Duties and powers of enforcing authority.
The enforcing authority shall administer this chapter. The
enforcing authority may adopt rules necessary to implement this
chapter, but substantive rules adopted by the enforcing
authority shall impose obligations, rights and remedies that are
the same as are provided in federal fair housing
regulations. Within the limits of legislative appropriations,
the enforcing authority shall foster prevention of
discrimination under this chapter through education for the
public, landlords, publishers, real estate licensees, lenders
and sellers on the rights and responsibilities provided under
this chapter and ways to respect those protected rights. The
enforcing authority shall emphasize conciliation to resolve
complaints.
40-26-115.
Complaints.
As provided by W.S. 40-26-118 through 40-26-135, the enforcing
authority shall receive, investigate, seek to conciliate and act
on complaints alleging violations of this chapter.
40-26-116.
Cooperation with other entities.
The enforcing authority shall cooperate with and may provide
technical and other assistance to federal, state, local and
other public or private entities that are designing or operating
programs to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing
practices.
40-26-117.
appropriation.
Gifts and grants; fair housing fund; continuing
The enforcing authority may accept grants from the federal
government for administering this chapter. Grants received
shall be deposited with the state treasurer in an account
created for the fair housing act. Monies deposited into the
account are to be appropriated to the enforcing authority on a
continuing basis for the purposes of administering this chapter.
40-26-118.
Complaint.
(a) The enforcing authority shall investigate complaints
of alleged discriminatory housing practices. An aggrieved
person may file a complaint with the enforcing authority
alleging the discriminatory housing practice. The enforcing
authority may file a complaint. A complaint shall be in writing
and shall contain such information and be in such form as
prescribed by the enforcing authority. A complaint shall be
filed on or before the first anniversary of the date the alleged
discriminatory housing practice occurs or terminates, whichever
is later. A complaint may be amended at any time.
(b) On the filing of a complaint, the enforcing authority
shall give the aggrieved person notice that the complaint has
been received, advise the aggrieved person of the time limits
and choice of forums under this chapter, and not later than the
tenth day after the date of the filing of the complaint or the
identification of an additional or substitute respondent under
W.S. 40-26-121, serve on each respondent a notice identifying
the alleged discriminatory housing practice and advising the
respondent of the procedural rights and obligations of a
respondent under this chapter and a copy of the original
complaint.
40-26-119.
Answer.
(a) Not later than the tenth day after the date of receipt
of the notice and copy of the complaint under W.S. 40-26-118(b),
a respondent may file an answer to the complaint. An answer
shall be in writing, under oath, and in the form prescribed by
the enforcing authority.
(b) An answer may be amended at any time.
not inhibit the investigation of a complaint.
40-26-120.
An answer does
Investigation.
(a) If the federal government has referred a complaint to
the enforcing authority or has deferred jurisdiction over the
subject matter of the complaint to the enforcing authority, the
enforcing authority shall investigate the allegations set forth
in the complaint.
(b) The enforcing authority shall investigate all
complaints and, except as provided by subsection (c) of this
section, shall complete an investigation not later than the
hundredth day after the date the complaint is filed or, if it is
impracticable to complete the investigation within the one
hundred (100) day period, shall dispose of all administrative
proceedings related to the investigation not later than the
first anniversary after the date the complaint is filed.
(c) If the enforcing authority is unable to complete an
investigation within the time periods prescribed by subsection
(b) of this section, the enforcing authority shall notify the
complainant and the respondent in writing of the reasons for the
delay.
40-26-121.
Additional or substitute respondent.
The enforcing authority may join a person not named in the
complaint as an additional or substitute respondent if during
the investigation the enforcing authority determines that the
person is alleged to be engaged, to have engaged, or to be about
to engage in the discriminatory housing practice upon which the
complaint is based. In addition to the information required in
the notice under W.S. 40-26-118(b), the enforcing authority
shall include in a notice to a respondent joined under this
section the reasons for the determination that the person is
properly joined as a respondent.
40-26-122.
Conciliation.
The enforcing authority shall, during the period beginning with
the filing of a complaint and ending with the filing of a charge
or a dismissal by the enforcing authority, to the extent
feasible, engage in conciliation with respect to the complaint.
A conciliation agreement between a respondent and the
complainant is subject to enforcing authority approval. A
conciliation agreement may provide for binding arbitration or
another method of dispute resolution. Dispute resolution that
results from a conciliation agreement may authorize appropriate
relief, including monetary relief.
40-26-123.
Temporary or preliminary relief.
The enforcing authority may authorize a claim for relief for
temporary or preliminary relief pending the final disposition of
a complaint, if the enforcing authority concludes after the
filing of the complaint that prompt judicial action is necessary
to carry out the purposes of this chapter. A temporary
restraining order or other order granting preliminary or
temporary relief under this section is governed by the
applicable statutes and the Wyoming Rules of Civil Procedure.
The filing of a claim for relief under this section does not
affect the initiation or continuation of administrative
proceedings under W.S. 40-26-131.
40-26-124.
Investigative report.
The enforcing authority shall prepare a final investigative
report, including the names of and dates of contacts with
witnesses, a summary of correspondence and other contacts with
the aggrieved person and the respondent showing the dates of the
correspondence and contacts, a summary description of other
pertinent records, a summary of witness statements, and answers
to interrogatories. A final report under this section may be
amended if additional evidence is discovered.
40-26-125.
Reasonable cause determination.
(a) The enforcing authority shall determine from the facts
whether reasonable cause exists to believe that a discriminatory
housing practice has occurred or is about to occur. The
enforcing authority shall make this determination not later than
the one hundredth day after the date a complaint is filed unless
making the determination is impracticable, or the enforcing
authority approves a conciliation agreement relating to the
complaint.
(b) If making the determination within the period is
impracticable, the enforcing authority shall give in writing to
the complainant and the respondent the reasons for the delay.
If the enforcing authority determines that reasonable cause
exists to believe that a discriminatory housing practice has
occurred or is about to occur, the enforcing authority shall,
except as provided by W.S. 40-26-127, immediately issue a charge
on behalf of the aggrieved person.
40-26-126.
Charge.
(a) A charge issued under W.S. 40-26-125 shall consist of
a short and plain statement of the facts on which the enforcing
authority finds reasonable cause to believe that a
discriminatory housing practice has occurred or is about to
occur, shall be based on the final investigative report, and is
not limited to the facts or grounds alleged in the complaint.
(b) Within three (3) days after issuing a charge, the
enforcing authority shall send a copy of the charge with
information about the election under W.S. 40-26-130 to each
respondent and each aggrieved person on whose behalf the
complaint was filed.
(c) The enforcing authority shall include with a charge
sent to a respondent a notice of the opportunity for a hearing
under W.S. 40-26-131.
40-26-127.
Land use law.
If the enforcing authority determines that the matter involves
the legality of a state or local zoning or other land use law or
ordinance, the enforcing authority may issue a charge and
proceed with the appropriate action.
40-26-128.
Dismissal.
If the enforcing authority determines that no reasonable cause
exists to believe that a discriminatory housing practice that is
the subject of a complaint has occurred or is about to occur,
the enforcing authority shall promptly dismiss the complaint.
The enforcing authority shall make public disclosure of each
dismissal.
40-26-129.
Pending civil trial.
The enforcing authority may not issue a charge alleging a
discriminatory housing practice after the beginning of the trial
of a civil action commenced by the aggrieved party under federal
or state law seeking relief with respect to that discriminatory
housing practice.
40-26-130.
Election of judicial determination.
A complainant, a respondent, or an aggrieved person on whose
behalf a complaint was filed may elect to have the claims
asserted in the charge decided in a civil action as provided by
W.S. 40-26-136. The election shall be made not later than the
twentieth day after the date the person having the election
receives service under W.S. 40-26-126(b) or, in the case of the
enforcing authority, not later than the twentieth day after the
date the charge is issued. The person making the election shall
give notice to the enforcing authority and to all other
complainants and respondents to whom the charge relates.
40-26-131.
Administrative hearing.
If a timely election is not made under W.S. 40-26-130, the
enforcing authority shall provide for a hearing on the charge.
A hearing under this section on an alleged discriminatory
housing practice may not continue after the beginning of the
trial of a claim for relief commenced by the aggrieved person
under federal or state law seeking relief with respect to the
discriminatory housing practice.
40-26-132.
Administrative penalties.
(a) If the enforcing authority determines at a hearing
under W.S. 40-26-131 that a respondent has engaged in or is
about to engage in a discriminatory housing practice, the
enforcing authority may order the appropriate relief, including
actual damages, reasonable attorney's fees, court costs and
other injunctive or equitable relief.
(b) To vindicate the public's interest, the enforcing
authority may assess a civil penalty against the respondent in
an amount that does not exceed:
(i) Eleven thousand dollars ($11,000.00) if the
respondent has been found by order of the enforcing authority or
a court to have committed a prior discriminatory housing
practice; or
(ii) Except as provided by subsection (c) of this
section, twenty-seven thousand dollars ($27,000.00) if the
respondent has been found by order of the enforcing authority or
a court to have committed one (1) other discriminatory housing
practice during the five (5) year period ending on the date of
the filing of the charges and fifty-five thousand dollars
($55,000.00) if the respondent has been found by the enforcing
authority or a court to have committed two (2) or more
discriminatory housing practices during the seven (7) year
period ending on the date of filing of the charge.
(c) If the acts constituting the discriminatory housing
practice that is the object of the charge are committed by the
same individual who has previously been found to have committed
acts constituting a discriminatory housing practice, the civil
penalties in subsection (b) of this section may be imposed
without regard to the period of time within which any other
discriminatory housing practice occurred.
(d) The enforcing agency shall sue to recover a civil
penalty due under this section. Funds collected under this
section shall be paid to the state treasurer for deposit in the
common school fund in the county in which the offense occurred.
40-26-133.
Effect of enforcing authority order.
An enforcing authority order under W.S. 40-26-132 does not
affect a contract, sale, encumbrance or lease that is
consummated before the enforcing authority issues the order and
involves a bona fide purchaser, encumbrancer or tenant who did
not have actual notice of the charge filed under this chapter.
40-26-134.
Licensed or regulated business.
If the enforcing authority issues an order with respect to a
discriminatory housing practice that occurs in the course of a
business subject to a licensing or regulation by a governmental
agency, the enforcing authority, not later than the thirtieth
day after the date the order is issued, shall send copies of the
findings and the order to the governmental agency and recommend
to the governmental agency appropriate disciplinary action.
40-26-135.
Order in preceding five years.
If the enforcing authority issues an order against a respondent
against whom another order was issued within the preceding five
(5) years under W.S. 40-26-133, the enforcing authority shall
send a copy of each order to the attorney general.
40-26-136.
Attorney general action for enforcement.
If a timely election is made under W.S. 40-26-130, the attorney
general may file not later than the thirtieth day after the date
of the election a claim for relief in a district court. Venue
for an action is in the county in which the alleged
discriminatory housing practice occurred or is about to occur.
An aggrieved person may intervene in the action. If the court
finds that a discriminatory housing practice has occurred or is
about to occur, the court may grant as relief any relief that a
court may grant in a civil action under W.S. 40-26-129 through
40-26-143. If monetary relief is sought for the benefit of an
aggrieved person who does not intervene in the civil action, the
court may not award the monetary relief if that aggrieved person
has not complied with discovery orders entered by the court.
40-26-137.
Pattern or practice case; penalties.
(a) The attorney general may file a claim for relief in
district court for appropriate relief if the enforcing authority
has reasonable cause to believe that a person is engaged in a
pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment of a
right granted under this chapter or a person has been denied a
right granted by this chapter and that denial raises an issue of
general public importance.
(b)
In an action under this section, the court may:
(i) Award preventive relief, including a permanent or
temporary injunction, restraining order, or other order against
the person responsible for a violation of this chapter as
necessary to assure the full enjoyment of the rights granted by
this chapter;
(ii) Award other appropriate relief, including
monetary damages, reasonable attorney's fees, and court costs;
and
(iii) To vindicate the public interest, assess a
civil penalty against the respondent in an amount that does not
exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) for a first violation
and one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) for a second or
subsequent violation.
(c) A person may intervene in an action under this section
if the person is a person aggrieved by the discriminatory
housing practice or a party to a conciliation agreement
concerning the discriminatory housing practice.
40-26-138.
Subpoena enforcement.
The enforcing authority or another party at whose request a
subpoena is issued under this chapter, may enforce the subpoena
in appropriate proceedings in district court.
40-26-139.
Civil action.
(a) An aggrieved person may file a civil action in
district court not later than the second year after the date of
the occurrence or the termination of an alleged discriminatory
housing practice or the breach of a conciliation agreement
entered under this chapter, whichever occurs last, to obtain
appropriate relief with respect to the discriminatory housing
practice or breach.
(b) The two (2) year period does not include any time
during which an administrative hearing under this chapter is
pending with respect to a complaint or charge under this chapter
based on the discriminatory housing practice. This subsection
does not apply to actions arising from the breach of a
conciliation agreement.
(c) An aggrieved person may file a claim for relief
whether a complaint has been filed under W.S. 40-26-118 and
without regard to the status of any complaint filed under that
section.
(d) If the enforcing authority has obtained a conciliation
agreement with the consent of an aggrieved person, the aggrieved
person may not file a claim for relief with respect to the
alleged discriminatory housing practice that forms the basis of
the complaint except to enforce the terms of the agreement.
(e) An aggrieved person may not file a claim for relief
with respect to an alleged discriminatory housing practice that
forms the basis of a charge issued by the enforcing authority if
the enforcing authority has begun a hearing on the record under
this chapter with respect to the charge.
40-26-140.
Relief granted.
If the court finds that a discriminatory housing practice has
occurred or is about to occur, the court may award to the
plaintiff actual and punitive damages, reasonable attorney's
fees, court costs, and subject to W.S. 40-26-142, a permanent or
temporary injunction, temporary restraining order, or other
order, including an order enjoining the defendant from engaging
in the practice or ordering appropriate affirmative action.
40-26-141.
Effect of relief granted.
Relief granted under W.S. 40-26-139 through 40-26-143 does not
affect a contract, sale, encumbrance or lease that is
consummated before the granting of the relief and involves a
bona fide purchaser, encumbrancer or tenant who did not have
actual notice of the filing of a complaint or civil action under
this chapter.
40-26-142.
Intervention by attorney general.
The attorney general may intervene in an action under W.S.
40-26-139 through 40-26-143 if the attorney general certifies
that the case is of general public importance. The attorney
general may obtain the same relief as is available to the
attorney general under W.S. 40-26-137(b).
40-26-143.
Prevailing party.
A court in an action brought under this chapter or the enforcing
authority in an administrative hearing under W.S. 40-26-131 may
award reasonable attorney's fees to the prevailing party and
assess court costs against the nonprevailing party.
40-26-144.
Intimidation or interference; penalty.
(a) A person commits an offense if the person, without
regard to whether the person is acting under color of law, by
force or threat of force, intentionally intimidates or
interferes with an individual:
(i) Because of the individual's race, color,
religion, sex, disability, age, familial status, national origin
or status with respect to marriage or public assistance and
because the individual is or has been selling, purchasing,
renting, financing, occupying or contracting or negotiating for
the sale, purchase, rental, financing or occupation of any
dwelling or applying for or participating in a service,
organization or facility relating to the business of selling or
renting dwellings; or
(ii) Because the individual is or has been or to
intimidate the individual from:
(A) Participating, without discrimination
because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial
status or national origin in an activity, service, organization
or facility described by paragraph (i) of this subsection;
(B) Affording another individual opportunity or
protection to so participate; or
(C) Lawfully aiding or encouraging other
individuals to participate, without discrimination because of
race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status or
national origin, or status with respect to marriage or public
assistance, in an activity, service, organization, or facility
described in paragraph (i) of this subsection.
(b) It is a discriminatory practice to coerce, intimidate,
threaten or interfere with any individual in the exercise or
enjoyment of, or on account of the individual having exercised
or enjoyed, or on account of the individual having aided or
encouraged any other individual in the exercise or enjoyment of,
any right granted or protected by this chapter.
(c) An offense under subsection (a) or (b) of this section
is a misdemeanor.
40-26-145.
Records exempt.
A complaint filed with the enforcing authority under W.S.
40-26-118 is an open record. Information obtained during an
investigation conducted by the enforcing authority under this
chapter can be used in any judicial proceedings or
administrative hearing relating to the complaint under this
chapter or before the administrative closure of a complaint by
the enforcing authority. The enforcing authority may disclose
to the complainant or the respondent, or representatives of the
complainant or respondent, information obtained during an
investigation if deemed necessary by the enforcing authority for
securing an appropriate resolution of a complaint. The
enforcing authority may disclose information obtained during an
investigation to a federal agency if necessary for the
processing of complaints under an agreement with the agency.
Individually identifiable health information obtained during an
investigation may not be disclosed by the enforcing authority
except to a federal agency if necessary for the processing of
complaints under an agreement with the agency. Statements made
or actions taken during conciliation efforts relating to a
complaint under this chapter may not be disclosed by the
enforcing authority, except to a federal agency if necessary for
the processing of complaints under an agreement with the agency,
and may not be used as evidence in a subsequent proceeding under
this chapter without the written consent of the parties to the
conciliation. A conciliation agreement is an open record unless
the complainant and respondent agree that it is not and the
enforcing authority determines that disclosure is not necessary
to further the purposes of this chapter.
CHAPTER 27
TRESPASS TO UNLAWFULLY COLLECT RESOURCE DATA
40-27-101. Trespass to unlawfully collect resource data;
unlawful collection of resource data.
(a) A person commits a civil trespass to unlawfully
collect resource data if he:
(i) Enters onto open land for the purpose of
collecting resource data; and
(ii)
Does not have:
(A) An ownership interest in the real property
or statutory, contractual or other legal authorization to enter
or access the land to collect resource data; or
(B) Written or verbal permission of the owner,
lessee or agent of the owner to enter or access the land to
collect the specified resource data.
(b) A person commits a civil trespass of unlawfully
collecting resource data if he enters onto private open land and
collects resource data without:
(i) An ownership interest in the real property or,
statutory, contractual or other legal authorization to enter the
private land to collect the specified resource data; or
(ii) Written or verbal permission of the owner,
lessee or agent of the owner to enter the land to collect the
specified resource data.
(c) A person who trespasses to unlawfully collect resource
data or a person who unlawfully collects resource data under
this section shall be liable in a civil action by the owner or
lessee of the land for all consequential and economic damages
proximately caused by the trespass. In a civil action brought
under this section, in addition to damages, a successful
claimant shall be awarded litigation costs. For purposes of
this subsection, "litigation costs" shall include, but is not
limited to, court costs, expert witness fees, other witness
fees, costs associated with depositions and discovery,
reasonable attorney fees and the reasonably necessary costs of
identifying the trespasser, of obtaining effective service of
process on the trespasser and of successfully effecting the
collection of any judgment against the trespasser.
(d) Resource data unlawfully collected under this section
is not admissible in evidence in any civil, criminal or
administrative proceeding, other than a civil action for
trespassing under this section or a criminal prosecution for
trespassing under W.S. 6-3-414.
(e) Resource data unlawfully collected under this section
is not admissible in evidence in any civil, criminal or
administrative proceeding, other than a civil action for
trespassing under this section or a criminal prosecution for
trespass.
(f) Resource data unlawfully collected under this section
in the possession of any governmental entity as defined by W.S.
1-39-103(a)(i) shall be expunged by the entity from all files
and data bases, and it shall not be considered in determining
any agency action.